


The Spark Grows Up

by thornconnelly



Series: The Hale Spark [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: A bunch of ocs - Freeform, Alpha Laura Hale, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, BAMF Stiles, Canon-Typical Violence, College Student Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale Deserves Nice Things, Derek Hale is a Softie, Emissary Stiles Stilinski, Established Relationship, Fix-It, Kid Fic, M/M, Maybe a few folks, Oral Sex, Spark Stiles Stilinski, The Hale Pack - Freeform, The Hales Deserve Happy Things, The Hales Love Stiles Stilinski, They're basically all supernatural folks, also nobody is straight, but don't assume
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:07:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 30,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26066971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thornconnelly/pseuds/thornconnelly
Summary: Stiles and Derek move in together so Stiles can attend Stanford. They've known each other for years at this point, but only started dating when Stiles graduated, so everything is still new. They're hoping to have a nice peaceful time while Stiles goes to college and Derek gets used to his new job... but of course it can't all be easy.Sequel to my fic "All a Pack Needs is a Little Spark" (after saving Laura from Peter, Stiles learns he has magic and sets about helping her build a strong and happy pack). You don't NEED to read that fic to understand this one... but I'm sure it would help.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Series: The Hale Spark [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1892299
Comments: 88
Kudos: 603
Collections: Teen wolf





	1. Home & Home Away from Home

“ _Laura and Isaac are both working today._ ”

Stiles stared down at the text for what felt like an eternity, before it dinged again and he almost dropped his phone.

“ _Do you want to come over?_ ”

“ _Yea! I’m just gonna clean the kitchen and then I’ll head over. Want me to bring anything?_ ”

“ _No. Just you_.”

Stiles stared at his phone for what felt like another eternity before cursing, looking up at the messy kitchen, and rubbing a hand through his hair. “Shit, this is real now,” he muttered before tucking his phone in his pocket and moving to the kitchen sink. They had gotten rid of most of the mess after the graduation party last night, but there were still a few things that needed to be taken care of, not to mention the dishes from his dad’s breakfast.

It only took him half an hour to make the ground floor of their house look presentable. The garbage was all piled outside and he had done the quickest job of vacuuming and wiping down surfaces that he had ever done before. In general, he wouldn’t have been satisfied with the overall cleanliness of the house, but he didn’t think he could stand the anticipation for another minute.

“ _Done! On my way_ 😘” Stiles texted to Derek as he turned the car on.

As Stiles drove, he started to feel uncertain. They had talked about this. And they kissed last night. And they talked about living together. Stiles had rarely ever felt as certain about anything as he did about his desire to spend the rest of his life with Derek.

But at the same time… how do you transition from two people who are friends to… more?

When Stiles parked in his normal spot out front of Derek’s house, he rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans before jumping out and making his way to the front door.

“Honey,” he called as he opened the door, “I’m home!”

Derek was leaning against the kitchen doorway, just visible down the main entryway, with a wide grin on his face. “Hey, you,” he said, pushing off the wall and walking toward Stiles, who found his feet suddenly unable to move. Derek’s grin softened as he stepped in close and he brought both his hands up to cup the sides of Stiles’ head. He leaned in slowly, his lips barely grazing Stiles’.

“Oh,” Stiles breathed out, his hands coming up to wrap around Derek’s waist. “Oh, okay.” He leaned in a little, deepening the kiss. One of Derek’s hands slid back until it was cradling the back of Stiles’ head and his other hand dropped down his back slowly until he was lightly holding the small of Stiles’ back.

Stiles pulled back slightly after a moment and rested his forehead against Derek’s. “Okay?” Derek asked quietly.

“Yea,” Stiles responded, just as quietly. “We can do this every day now?”

“That’s kind of the plan,” Derek laughed, tightening his grip on Stiles just a little. “Come on,” he said, tugging at Stiles’ hand and pulling him over to the couch.

“So… what are we doing now?” Stiles asked. Derek shrugged as he sat down. Stiles folded one leg as he sat so he was facing Derek. “Is today for talking or just for other stuff?”

Derek glanced down at his lap and rubbed his ear. “Can it be for both?”

Stiles laughed and reached out to hold Derek’s hand. “Of course. Do you want to talk about boundaries or what we want to do, or should we save that for a little later?”

Derek laced their fingers together, bringing their joined hands up so he could kiss Stiles’ fingers. “Well, I want to do everything, but obviously we can’t do everything at once.” His eyes practically sparkled as he looked up at Stiles through his eyelashes. “But I’m also not in a rush.”

“Same,” Stiles replied, as he shifted until he was straddling Derek’s lap, “but also, I’m in a tiny bit of a rush.” He leaned down and kissed him, “Not to do everything, obviously, but just to get my hands all over you. Is that alright?”

Derek grinned as he slipped his hands under Stiles’ shirt and ran them up his back. “So alright.”

Stiles leaned down to kiss Derek again, running his fingers through Derek’s hair before bringing them forward to rub along Derek’s beard. “Have I ever mentioned that I absolutely love this?” Stiles asked, his lips brushing along Derek’s as he spoke.

“Yea?”

“Yea,” Stiles agreed, running his nose along Derek’s short beard. “I mean, obviously I love your face no matter what you do with your facial hair, but this has been driving me crazy for months. I wondered what it would feel like under my fingers and… other places.” Stiles trailed off, blushing.

“Good to know,” Derek grinned as he rubbed his cheek down Stiles’ neck, drawing a shudder from him. “Same for your fingers, for me.”

“My fingers?” Stiles asked, glancing down and wiggling his fingers. “Really?”

“You have no idea,” Derek replied, grasping one of Stiles’ hands. “They drive me crazy.”

“But… why?”

“They never stop moving,” Derek groaned out, bringing Stiles’ hand up to his face so he could kiss each finger. “And, god, they’re so long. Why are they so long?”

“I don’t know,” Stiles laughed, “that’s just--” he stopped short as Derek slipped one of his fingers into his mouth, curling his tongue around it. “Alright well that’s interesting,” he murmured in a choked voice.

Derek slid Stiles’ finger out and kissed it. “I want them inside me.”

“Fuck.” Stiles gulped. “Derek. You can’t just. Say something like that.”

“Why not?” Derek asked as he folded two of Stiles fingers together and slid them both into his mouth slowly.

“God damn,” Stiles said, grinding down so he rubbed against Derek, “because if you keep talking like that and doing… that… I’m going to come in my jeans, and I’d really like our first time together to involve some actual nudity.”

Derek released Stiles’ fingers and threw his head back to laugh. “Well, then let’s go upstairs.”

Stiles shifted so he could climb off Derek, but let out a small yell when Derek just stood up instead, holding Stiles against him as he moved toward the stairs.

“Oh my god,” Stiles marveled, cupping Derek’s face in his hands as they traveled up the stairs, “You’re just going to be a caveman about all of this, aren’t you?”

Derek grunted and then laughed, kicking open his bedroom door and pushing Stiles up against it once it was closed. Stiles groaned again and leaned down to kiss Derek. “I have been waiting,” Derek nipped at Stiles’ jawline, then moved down his neck, “for so long.”

Stiles dropped his head back against the door as Derek continued kissing along his neck. “I still don’t get how you could be into me,” Stiles said faintly. “Like, I get the trust and pack and everything, but… like, dude, how are you attracted to me?”

Derek growled as he turned, before taking a few steps and dropping Stiles onto his bed. Derek slowly crawled on the bed until he was hovering over Stiles, who looked up at him with a mixture of excitement and confusion.

“There are a million different things about you that drive me crazy,” Derek said, dropping down to press a quick kiss before pulling back slightly. “Do you know that you have something in your mouth, like, a third of the time you’re awake? And every time you chew on a pen or suck on one of your god damned lollipops, all I can think about is how stunning your lips will look around my cock.” Stiles’ tongue darted out to lick his lip and he swallowed audibly. “And I already mentioned your fingers, right?” Stiles nodded, breathing heavily as Derek dropped down again to nose along Stiles’ neck. “And I want to trace every single one of your moles and find out how many of them I’ve never seen before.”

“Fuck, Derek,” Stiles panted out again as he held onto Derek’s shoulders.

Derek grinned against his skin. “And the way you smell? All the others acknowledge that you smell good, but they all say it’s a normal good. You smell absolutely delectable to me,” Derek nipped at Stiles’ neck. “Do you want me to keep talking, or should we go for some of that nudity you mentioned earlier?”

Stiles nodded fervently as he reached down to pull his shirt up. Derek chuckled as he shifted off of Stiles and started taking his own clothing off. Stiles watched as Derek unselfconsciously shed all of his clothes, although he paused as he was stepping out of his underwear. “You stopped?”

Stiles glanced down at himself. He had gotten his shirt off before pausing to watch Derek. “Yea… uh… you’re distracting,” Stiles said with a small shrug. “Plus…”

“Plus what?” Derek asked, sitting on the bed so he was facing Stiles.

“Plus I’m suddenly feeling like,” Stiles waved vaguely at his body, “compared to all of that…” he finished, waving at Derek’s body, with his eyes widening as he focused on his erection.

Derek leaned in again, cupping Stiles’ jawline. “Stiles, I love your body the way it is.”

“But…” Stiles started as they leaned toward each other again.

Derek pushed Stiles gently until he was lying down again. “Can I show you how much I love your body?”

Stiles swallowed, but nodded. Derek grinned and brushed his cheek along Stiles’ neck gently before placing a line of kisses down along his collarbone. His hands roamed as he placed kisses down Stiles’ chest, focusing his attention on each nipple until Stiles was breathing heavily beneath him. He continued moving down, nipping at his stomach just below his belly-button. “Can I take these off?” Derek asked, laying one hand gently on Stiles’ waistband.

“God, yes,” Stiles panted out as Derek grinned and rubbed his scruff along Stiles’ stomach as he pulled his pants down. Stiles gasped out and wriggled, but stilled himself as Derek latched onto his hip and sucked, pulling off to marvel at the deep red color he left behind.

“You’re so sensitive,” Derek said with wonder, before shifting to place kisses down Stiles’ thigh, lifting it up gently so he could lick behind his knee. Stiles laughed and shifted again, making Derek grin as he glanced up. “And ticklish?”

“Yea, but not, like, in a sexy way,” Stiles warned. “Like, in a, I might kick you in the face kind of way.”

“Noted,” Derek chuckled before shifting and kissing up Stiles’ other thigh. His hands roamed everywhere as he moved, but he carefully avoided Stiles’ cock until he was even with it again. “Can I?”

“God, Derek, if you don’t touch me, I think I might die of frustration,” Stiles groaned.

Derek grinned again, before he slipped his lips around the tip of Stiles’ cock and gripped the base with his hand.

“Fuck,” Stiles moaned out slowly as Derek continued to bob. “Fuck, Derek, I’m not going to last long.” Derek hummed and Stiles gasped as he thrust helplessly. He reached down and ran his fingers through Derek’s hair. Derek glanced up at him but kept his attention focused on Stiles' cock. Stiles traced along Derek’s head down to his shoulder. “Are you...?” Stiles asked, glancing down further when he felt Derek’s shoulder muscles shifting under his fingertips. “God damn it, Derek, you’re touching yourself?”

Derek hummed again, winking up at Stiles, who moaned one last time and then came deep in Derek’s mouth.

Stiles shuddered as Derek swallowed repeatedly, then rose up and kneeled above him. “Can I?” Derek panted and Stiles nodded enthusiastically. Derek groaned and came a few seconds later across Stiles’ stomach. Stiles reached down and ran a finger through the hot mess on his stomach before bringing his hand up to his mouth to taste it. “God damn Stiles,” Derek groaned, dropping down to kiss him. “Everything about you is so fucking hot,” he growled quietly against Stiles’ lips.

Stiles grinned as he wrapped his arms around Derek’s back, “Right back at you, big guy.”

*

“I officially just finished my first Stanford class!” Stiles shouted as he closed his laptop.

“And you start the next one on Monday?” His dad asked with a wry grin. “How did it compare to the online summer classes you’ve been taking at BHCC?”

“Way harder,” Stiles admitted, “but also way more interesting.”

“I’m still impressed that you’re taking online classes at Stanford before you even move down there,” his dad admitted.

Stiles shrugged and grinned, “My advisor was surprised too. She said that she hadn’t seen a freshman with so many credits before.”

“Do you even still count as a freshman?”

“I guess? I mean, it’s my first year, so sort of, but also after I finish this next class I’ll have enough that I count as a junior, so who knows.”

“I’m proud of you, kiddo.”

“Thanks, dad,” Stiles responded with a grin. He glanced over his shoulder at the front door before getting up, “Isaac and Derek are here.”

John chuckled. “Maybe someday I’ll get used to your magical senses, but today is not that day. What are you boys up to today?”

“Training,” Stiles replied. “We’re testing my range today.”

“Oh and Laura’s in Redding overnight with Cynthia, isn’t she?”

Stiles nodded. “I’m going to see if I can work up to reaching for them. I can’t do it right now, but I’m hoping that I’ll figure out how to build up to it.”

John nodded and waved as Derek and Isaac opened the front door. “Will you be back in time for dinner?”

“We should be,” Derek answered as he stepped up and pressed a quick kiss to Stiles’ lips, hugging him close. He turned back to John with a smile. “Want us to pick up dinner from that BBQ joint along Route 44 on the way back?”

Stiles smacked Derek’s chest lightly, “Stop trying to bribe him.”

John grinned widely. “Make sure you get plenty of their veggie sides so Stiles doesn’t feel like I’m cheating too badly.”

“Sure thing,” Derek said, pressing a kiss to Stiles’ temple. “We don’t want to get his blood pressure up too much.”

John laughed as Stiles squawked at Derek and the three of them each hugged John before heading back out the front door.

*

“Laura I can’t let you pay ten thousand dollars towards my tuition each year,” Stiles said, throwing his arms around as he paced in Laura’s kitchen. “That’s too much. I’m just going to take out loans like normal college kids do.”

“But Stiles,” Laura said as she watched him pace, “it’s not even from our money. It would be from the pack savings account. You know how much money we have there. Your tuition wouldn’t even really put a dent in it.”

“But it’s the principle of it,” Stiles said, turning to appeal to Derek. “You get it, right?”

Derek shrugged and shook his head. “I understand what you’re saying, but I think you should just let us pay for it. You’re pack. We have this bank account specifically for pack needs. That’s what it’s for.”

“Will you at least let us keep paying you each week, this way I know you’ll have enough for food and stuff?” Laura leaned forward while she spoke. She wanted to honor Stiles’ wishes, but she also wanted to keep protecting and providing for him while he was at Stanford.

Stiles froze and turned toward Laura and she sat back, surprised by his sudden reaction. Stiles pacing was Stiles processing, but when Stiles was still he was either angry or shocked.

“What do you mean keep paying me each week?”

Laura and Derek exchanged glances. “The money from Deaton,” Laura started slowly. “He didn’t tell you that it came from us?”

Stiles shook his head and squinted.

Laura rose and walked towards Stiles, reaching out to take his hands. He obliged but continued to look suspicious. “It’s the family’s or the pack’s responsibility to train their members. When someone needs outside training, they’re responsible for finding a teacher and paying for whatever training they need.”

“Deaton said he didn’t want to take payment in exchange for teaching you,” Derek added. “But he accepted when we offered to cover your salary. We didn’t want his business to lose the money since most of the time you weren’t really helping out, but also he wanted to keep paying you to keep up the appearance of you actually working there.”

Stiles looked down at his and Laura’s joined hands silently for a moment before looking back up at her. “So you’ve been giving me money this whole time?”

Laura shrugged slightly. “Or we were paying Deaton to train you and he chose to use that money to pay you… but basically, at the end of the day, yea, we’ve been giving you money every week for the past few years.”

Derek stepped up beside Laura and placed a hand on Stiles’ shoulder, “We thought you knew, Stiles. We didn’t mean to deceive you.”

Stiles took a deep breath and nodded. “Well then, thank you.”

“You’re not mad?” Laura asked with a small wince as she peered into Stiles’ eyes.

“I mean, how could I be mad at you?” Stiles asked with a small smile. “I’m definitely going to talk to Deaton about this whole thing, but I can’t be mad at you for taking care of everything.”

Derek leaned over and wrapped an arm around Stiles’ waist while nuzzling into the side of his face. “Good.” Stiles grinned and wrapped his free arm around Derek too, while Laura grinned and squeezed his hand.

“Wait,” Stiles said, looking up suddenly. “Have you been paying Araceli too?”

Laura shook her head, “She wouldn’t take anything.”

“But we have been making a couple big donations each year in her name,” Derek added, pressing a soft kiss to Stiles’ temple.

“What if,” Laura started slowly, “what if, instead of paying you each week, I just give you a debit card that’s linked to one of our accounts. You don’t have to use it if you don’t want to, but you’ll have it as a backup, in case of emergencies.”

“And we could use it to like, decorate the apartment,” Derek added, “not for things like lunch or dates or anything. Like, just big things.”

Stiles chuckled, “Alright, alright. I can’t really fight with you guys, and it’s not like I actually want to live the life of a poor student…”

“Alright good,” Laura said, leaning in to give Stiles a quick hug. “I’m going to go train with James a little. Either of you want to come, or are you going to stay here and be disgustingly adorable together?”

Stiles laughed and pushed gently at Laura’s shoulder as she started walking away. “Definitely disgustingly adorable.”

Derek pulled Stiles until their bodies were fully pressed together finally, “I’m not sure what I have planned would count as adorable,” he murmured into Stiles’ ear.

“I’m still here!” Laura shouted as she grabbed a pillow from the couch to throw at the pair before running out the door, laughing the whole time.

Derek was laughing as Stiles threw his arms around his neck and pressed their lips together.

*

“You know,” John said as he stood with his fists planted on his hips and surveyed the house that he was helping Derek and Stiles move into, “when you insisted you live together because paying for a dorm would be a waste since you were just going to spend all your time with Derek instead... and said you were going to share an apartment, I imagined it would be an actual apartment and not a full house.”

Laura chuckled as she patted his back. “I know, but this is actually cheaper than a lot of the apartments nearby, and it has the added bonus of a backyard and extra space.” Laura grew more serious and dropped her voice, “Plus, Derek is probably going to struggle with his control more than he does at home, so giving him space away from other people and their smells and noises will probably be helpful.”

John glanced down at her, “You think?”

She grimaced and shrugged. “We’ve never been apart for more than a week, and even then he had the whole pack around him, and he still wasn’t very happy. Now he’s going to be relying almost entirely on Stiles.”

“And he’s sure he wants to do this still?”

Laura nodded. “I don’t think we could tear them apart now if we tried. He’ll be fine. He’s just probably going to be a little more sensitive to sounds and smells, and maybe a little more anxious or frustrated. But we’ve worked out a schedule so at least one or two pack members are planning to come down here each weekend, and you know they’re planning to come up to spend every long weekend in Beacon Hills anyway. And then once he adjusts, he’ll be fine. It’ll just be tough for a few weeks.”

“And it’s lucky that my classes don’t start for another few weeks anyway,” Stiles said, coming up behind Laura and his dad and clapping them both on the backs. “This way I’ll be able to help Derek deal with his stress before mine even starts.”

“Are you guys talking about me again?” Derek asked as he stepped out of the house. “Erica and Isaac are trying to act out all of Hamilton in here.”

“It’s because you have this awesome freaking balcony thing in here!” Erica shouted from inside as Derek closed the door on her and trotted down the front steps to loop his arm over Stiles’ shoulders.

“I’m going to be fine,” Derek said with a wide grin. “I know it’s your job to worry about me, but really, I’m going to be okay.”

“Good,” John said with a grin as he grabbed a box from the trunk and deposited it in Derek’s arms, “Then you can carry more of these boxes. Stiles swore he wasn’t bringing too many books, but I think he lied.”

“Ah but Pops,” Stiles said while slinging an arm over his dad’s shoulder, “you still haven’t learned. ‘Too many’ is such an arbitrary amount. You might think it’s too many, but I’m quite certain that I left a ton of valuable information at home.”

“Right,” John said with a laugh, pushing Stiles towards the trunk so he could get something to carry too, “because none of the rest of the pack can possibly bring you anything when they come to visit.”

Stiles laughed loudly as he grabbed the last box in the trunk and followed Derek into the house. He grinned as Derek waited for him to put the box down before wrapping his arms around Stiles’ waist. “I’m glad everyone is spending the weekend with us to help set everything up,” Derek leaned so his lips were pressed against Stiles’ ear as he finished, “but I can’t wait until it’s just the two of us.”

Stiles shivered and pulled Derek’s ear close, “I can’t wait either.”

“Hey Isaac,” Erica shouted from the top of the loft balcony, drawing everyone’s attention to her, “do you think you could catch me if I jumped from here?”

“Don’t jump!” Laura, Derek, and John shouted at the same time that Isaac threw out his arms and grinned widely as Erica leapt off the second floor balcony. She crashed into Isaac’s arms as Laura jumped up behind them and the three of them fell into a pile of limbs and laughter.

John turned to Stiles, “Why don’t we let the wolves tire themselves out a bit and the two of us can go see if that organic grocery store down the block is any good.”

*

Stiles sighed as he dropped to the bed, running a hand along his sweaty chest. Derek rolled over, interlocking his fingers with Stiles’ and sliding one of his thighs over Stiles’ legs.

“I think we christened this bedroom pretty thoroughly,” Stiles said with a small laugh.

Derek hummed a response as he rubbed his cheek along Stiles’ shoulder.

“Have you gone nonverbal on me, babe?” Stiles placed a kiss on Derek’s forehead.

“No,” Derek said softly, shifting further into Stiles so he could kiss along his neck. “Just happy.”

“Good.” Stiles shifted so he could wrap his free arm around Derek’s shoulders. “What time is your meeting tomorrow?”

“Eight,” Derek replied softly before glancing up at Stiles, “and you’ll come around eleven to help me set up my classroom?”

Stiles nodded. “Hey come on,” he said suddenly, as Derek nuzzled closer into his neck, “you can’t fall asleep yet. We have to go clean off.”

“But this is so perfect,” Derek murmured.

Stiles laughed and patted at Derek’s back. “It is. And it’ll be even more perfect once we brush our teeth and wash all the lube and come away.” Derek grunted and Stiles continued, “I love when you’re a caveman, but I also love waking up and not being sticky.”

“Fine,” Derek grumbled, rolling off the bed. Stiles laughed as he followed him into the adjoining bathroom.

*

Derek kissed Stiles before leaving in the morning. Stiles rolled over and enjoyed the smell of Derek’s pillow for a moment before getting out of bed himself. He had things he wanted to do today before he met up with Derek.

He went for a quick jog around their new neighborhood first. He waved to a few neighbors and stopped at a cafe a few blocks away, staring at it with an open mouth.

Full Moon Cafe gave off a soft glow that Stiles associated with werewolf territory. He opened the door slowly, trying to give his eyes time to adjust to the slightly darker lighting inside. He walked toward the counter and smiled at the teenage werewolf behind the counter.

“Good morning,” she chirped. “What can I get for you this morning?”

Stiles grinned awkwardly. “A large cold brew… and an introduction with your Alpha?”

The girl’s smile dropped. “What?” She glanced over her shoulder as a middle-aged woman came out from the back of the cafe. She had on an apron, so Stiles assumed she had been working in the kitchen.

The woman stared at Stiles, and he glanced around the cafe again. There were two older women sitting at the far side of the cafe and a man at a table on the outside patio. All three were human.

“My name is Stiles,” he said softly. “I’m the Emissary from the Beacon Hills pack.” The woman nodded so Stiles continued, “I’m attending Stanford. My boyfriend, who’s part of the pack, and I just moved in a few blocks from here.”

“My name is Meredith,” the older woman said. “Our Alpha is working today, but the two of you can come back here to introduce yourselves tonight.”

“Thank you,” Stiles said sincerely, before glancing back at the teenager. “Sorry for scaring you.”

“It’s okay,” she whispered. “What are you?”

“Sasha,” Meredith scolded. “You can’t just ask that.”

Stiles grinned. “It’s alright, I don’t mind. I’m a Spark.”

Meredith’s eyebrows raised and Sasha’s jaw dropped open. “I’ve never met a Spark before.”

“Well now you have.”

Meredith glanced down at Sasha. “Did you get his coffee yet?”

“Oh!” Sasha said, grabbing a cup and filling it with ice.

“Isn’t it a little unconventional for a pack’s Emissary to… leave?” Meredith asked.

Stiles shrugged. “We’re not really a very conventional pack.”

“Hmm.”

“Here you go,” Sasha said, holding out the coffee.

“Thanks,” Stiles grinned and put his money on the counter. “I’ll see you tonight.”

He pulled his phone out as he walked out of the cafe and sent a text to Derek and Laura, “ _You’re NEVER going to guess what just happened._ ” He waited a few seconds before he couldn’t wait any longer and added, “ _I found a cafe named FULL MOON CAFE and guess who owns it? PEOPLE LIKE YOU. OMG_ ”

“ _How do you manage this Stiles?!_ ” Laura texted back immediately. Then she added, “ _I trust you made a good impression?_ ”

“ _We’re meeting with the Alpha tonight for official introductions_ ,” Stiles texted back with a grin. He glanced at the time and saw that he’d have just enough time to make it back home to shower and head over to Derek’s school.

*

Stiles had to give his ID at the front desk when he signed into Derek’s school, but the security guard was a friendly older man. “You think you’ll be visiting a lot?” He asked when Stiles explained that he was here to help his boyfriend set up his classroom. 

“Maybe,” Stiles said. “I’m not sure how busy my schedule will be at Stanford yet, but for the next couple weeks at least, I want to try. Is that alright?”

The security guard grinned and nodded. “You’ll have to sign in each time, but it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Just then Derek came into the entryway and grinned broadly at Stiles. “Bill, I’ll see you later,” Stiles waved with a grin, and patted the box he was carrying, “I’ve got to go earn my keep.”

Bill laughed and waved, “See you later, kid.”

Derek gave a small wave too, and took the box. “My department seems so great,” Derek said, “and I want to introduce you to Sumaya, she has the classroom across from mine. Her wife and daughter are here helping her set up, and the little girl is just the cutest thing in the world.”

Stiles stared at Derek with wide eyes. “Dude that’s so awesome. Have you, by any chance, read your texts recently?”

Derek squinted thoughtfully, “No?”

Stiles laughed and took the box back from Derek while they walked up the stairs so Derek could pull his phone out. After a moment, he glanced back at Stiles with wide eyes. 

“Full Moon Cafe? Are you serious?”

Stiles laughed. “I am! That’s the best part. I’m not sure what time they want us tonight, but the website says they close at 9, so I figured we could go at like… eight? There are a couple restaurants in the area, so if they’re not ready for us, we could just hang out at one of them.”

“Oh my god, Stiles,” Derek breathed out. “By the way, this is my classroom here, and Sumaya’s is there.”

Stiles stepped into Derek’s classroom, but then slowly turned around to stare at the room across the hall. He glanced back at Derek who was grinning widely, waiting for Stiles’ reaction. 

“Are you serious?” Stiles hissed and Derek burst into laughter and nodded. 

Stiles walked into the classroom and wasn’t surprised to find a black-haired woman and a red-haired woman watching the door and waiting for him. He glanced between the two of them and after a moment pointed at the black-haired woman, “You’re a Spark too.”

She grinned and opened her arms for a hug. Stiles wordlessly stepped into her embrace. 

“But…” he glanced back at Derek. “How?”

Derek shrugged. “It’s a small world, I guess.”

Stiles looked back at the woman, who had stepped back and settled on the desk next to her wife. “Derek tells me that you’ve been training with Araceli Hernandez Garcia. That’s quite impressive. She’s one of the most famous and powerful Sparks on the continent.”

Stiles knew he was staring with his mouth open but he couldn’t stop himself. After a moment he shook himself and turned back to Derek. “How did I find a pack and you found a Spark?”

Derek laughed and stepped forward to wrap his arms around Stiles. “Dunno. But I think this is going to be an interesting couple years.”


	2. Intro to Werewolf Etiquette

Derek and Stiles walked into the Full Moon Cafe a little after eight that evening. Derek inhaled deeply through his nose as he stepped through the door and reached to brush a hand along Stiles’ lower back. 

Meredith was standing behind the counter with a man in his 20s. She nodded when she saw Stiles and stepped into the back again.

A few seconds later, another middle-aged woman stepped into the front. “We have a patio in the back where we can talk. Come through this way, please.”

Stiles and Derek followed and when they came out to the small patio in the back, the woman turned to them and smiled politely. “My name is Lillian Garcia. I’m the Alpha of the Palo Alto Pack. Meredith told me that the two of you moved in recently?”

Stiles nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t reach out to you first. We’re here so I can attend Stanford, but I still should have contacted you about living off-campus.”

The woman smiled faintly, “Don’t worry. It’s not your fault. Your pack’s Emissary should have handled that.”

Stiles blushed and glanced at Derek where he was standing with their shoulders touching. “I am the Emissary for the Hale Pack of Beacon Hills.”

The woman’s eyes widened and she glanced at Meredith, who nodded. 

“But, again, I apologize. My name is Stiles, and this is my boyfriend, Derek.”

“You’re a Hale,” Lillian said slowly. Derek nodded. “Your mother was Talia?” Another nod. “You look like her. We mourned for your pack when we heard what happened.”

“Thank you,” Derek replied

“Now boys,” Lillian said suddenly, clapping her hands. “Have you eaten? Will you sit down with me for a meal?”

“Yea, that’d be great,” Stiles replied with a grin. 

Derek reached out and tangled his fingers with Stiles’. “Thank you Alpha,” he replied solemnly. “We are grateful for your offer. We’ll gladly share a meal with you.”

Stiles turned sharply to look at Derek, who shifted his eyebrows before following Lillian to a table. He held onto Stiles’ hand until Lillian settled herself onto a chair, then helped Stiles sit in his own chair, before finally moving to his own chair.

“So tell me about your Alpha,” Lillian said.

Stiles glanced at Derek, who leaned forward slightly, “My older sister Laura is our Alpha. She was training with my mother before the fire.”

Lillian nodded. “That’s good. I’m assuming she has built up your numbers? The two of you wouldn’t have left her to hold the territory alone.”

“Of course,” Derek replied slowly. “We have been rebuilding for a few years now.”

Lillian nodded as the twenty-something beta put a few plates of food on the table, with individual plates in front of each person. 

Derek placed his foot on top of Stiles’ and gave the slightest of shakes of his head when Stiles had picked up his arm to reach for the food. He dropped his arm and watched as Lillian served food out to each of them. She looked between the two of them and nodded. It wasn’t until after she swallowed her first bite that Derek reached for his utensils. Stiles followed his actions, even if he didn’t completely understand what was going on. 

After a few minutes of quiet eating, Lillian looked up at Stiles again. “You know, I have heard that a Spark generates his own power, unlike druids and witches. Is that true?”

Stiles nodded, squinting as he looked at her. “I’m far from an expert on the subject,” he pointed out. “But my magic does operate differently from druid magic.”

She nodded and continued to eat. “Derek, your pack is lucky to have a Spark. I’m sure that helped you establish yourselves.”

“We’re very lucky to have Stiles,” Derek corrected, staring down at his food. 

“Of course,” she noted before turning back to Stiles. “You know, Stiles, that a Spark doesn’t just benefit a pack. The pack benefits a Spark in turn. There is a sort of loop of power. So a larger pack, like ours, which has almost thirty people, would in turn make you even more powerful.” 

Stiles stiffened as she spoke but knew he couldn’t drop his eyes yet. He might not understand all of the complexities of werewolf etiquette about who sits first and who eats first, but he knew that once he made eye contact during a tense moment like this, he knew that looking away first right now would be acknowledging Lillian’s power. 

“While that is very interesting information,” Stiles said slowly, “I don’t think it’s relevant at all. My Alpha is family in all but blood. I love her and trust her, and I hope that you can respect that, because if you can’t… I’ll have to find a less polite way to explain myself.” Stiles allowed a small bit of his magic to leak into the table, causing it to tremble slightly, making all of the items on it rattle. 

Lillian glanced down at the table and smiled ruefully. “Of course.” 

Stiles glanced over at Derek, who was staring at Stiles with slightly wide eyes. Stiles winked and Derek tried to muster a small smile. 

They exchanged a few more comments, but Lillian rose a few minutes later and said, “Stiles, Derek, thank you for introducing yourselves. I’m happy to have you in our territory. Meredith will give you our contact information on your way out. Good evening.” As Lillian walked around the table to leave, she brushed softly up against Stiles’ arm and neck before exiting the patio. 

Stiles and Derek exchanged quick glances, but were more than happy to leave after that. They were silent as they took the information from Meredith and started walking home.

When they were halfway home, Stiles opened his mouth to speak, but Derek shook his head. As they walked up the front steps, Derek quietly said, “Can you do one of those alert wards to let us know if anyone comes close? And maybe a sound one too?”

Stiles nodded and threw up the double wards close against the house’s walls while Derek unlocked the door. 

Once Stiles stepped in, Derek pushed him up against the inside of the door. “I can’t believe she did that,” Derek growled as he rubbed himself against Stiles’ back. “She tried to steal you and then touched you.” Derek bit down gently on Stiles’ neck as he thrust his hips up into Stiles’ ass. “I can’t believe she touched you.”

“Fuck, Derek,” Stiles panted against the door, “turn me around.” Derek obliged and Stiles latched onto his lips as soon as they faced each other. “I would never abandon the pack,” he said against Derek’s lips. “I would never abandon you.”

Derek growled softly as he picked Stiles up and carried him towards their bedroom. “Please, I’m sorry,” he growled into Stiles’ neck. “Can I just… I have to get rid of her scent.” He pulled back to look into Stiles’ eyes. “Can I?”

Stiles shivered and grinned widely. “Derek, babe, please make me smell like you, you wonderful amazing caveman.”


	3. Sparks Fly

“So… you spent all day with Sumaya at work, right?” Stiles asked as he paced around their living room. Derek looked up from his laptop and nodded. “She’s not going to like…” Stiles gestured vaguely while looking for the right words.

“Try to recruit one of us?” Derek asked dryly. 

Stiles laughed. “I’m not sure I can deal with that kind of tension two days in a row.” He paused and turned toward Derek, “Although I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy the after-effects.” Derek blushed and focused on his computer. Stiles laughed and walked over to stand behind Derek and wrap his arms around his shoulders. “I’m so sorry that you had to just watch as Lillian did that… being helpless and jealous sucks, but god damn that sex was amazing.”

Derek leaned back so his head rested on Stiles’ chest. “I can’t believe you were fucking turned on by me half losing control.”

Stiles reached up so his hand was splayed across Derek’s throat. He loved how easily they had fallen into this level of comfort with one another. They had always been close, but this level of intimacy still shocked Stiles. He pressed a soft kiss to Derek’s jawline and blinked in surprise as Derek groaned and shifted his hips. Stiles squeezed ever so slightly at Derek’s throat and nipped lightly. 

“Damn, Stiles,” Derek groaned out. “We have to leave in a few minutes.”

Stiles hummed against Derek’s throat, pulling his hand back slowly. “You’re right.”

Derek spun quickly and pulled Stiles in by the back of his neck, one hand dropping to squeeze at Stiles’ erection. “That just means we have to be quick,” Derek said with a small grin.

“Oh fuck yes,” Stiles gasped out. 

They ended up being a little late to Sumaya’s house. 

“I’m so sorry we’re late,” Derek said as he held out the bouquet of flowers he had picked up earlier. 

Sumaya took the flowers with a grin. “Don’t worry. Dinner isn’t ready yet anyway. Come on in,” she gestured, “Frankie is playing Jasmine in the backyard.” 

Sumaya walked them to the back door and waved the flowers at her wife, who got up to greet Stiles and Derek. She stopped just short of them before glancing at Derek, “I know Stiles and Sumaya hugged when they first met, but do you mind?”

He grinned and shook his head. “It really only bothers me if other werewolves touch us, but thanks for asking.”

Frankie grinned and hugged Stiles and Derek, before turning to introduce them to Jasmine again.

“Would you play catch with me?” Jasmine asked Derek in a very serious tone. 

“I would love to,” Derek replied, just as seriously as he followed her into the middle of the yard. 

“Your garden is gorgeous,” Stiles commented to Frankie as he looked around. Stiles felt like they had stepped into a private oasis. He knew there were houses on either side of the yard, but they were practically invisible behind the profuse greenery.

“Thanks,” Frankie responded. “It’s basically all Sumaya’s work. All I do is turn on the sprinkler occasionally.”

Stiles laughed and walked up to touch one a trellis that had pink flowers climbing all the way up it. “There’s magic in all of it?” Stiles asked, glancing back at Frankie. She nodded and Stiles turned back to the trellis and closed his eyes, pushing his Spark out like Deaton had taught him. He could sense tiny amounts of Sumaya’s magic permeating every aspect of the yard. There were layers of spells so thick that Stiles was having trouble telling them apart, but he was pretty sure there were protection and privacy spells weaved in with spells to keep the plans healthy. “This is amazing,” Stiles marvelled. “I’ve never even thought about layering spells like this.”

“Thanks,” Sumaya said as she set down a platter of food on the patio table. “I’ve been working on this for years now.”

“Oh!” Derek stared at the ball that Jasmine had just thrown about ten feet over his head. 

Stiles reached his hand out and threw up a shield wall, making the ball bounce down to land near Derek’s feet. 

“Thanks babe,” he said with a grin before picking it up and tossing it back to Jasmine. She caught it and immediately walked over to Stiles.

“How did you do that?”

Stiles glanced up at Sumaya, who was staring at him with wide eyes. “Sorry… I thought I could…”

“No, don’t worry, she knows about magic,” Sumaya said. “But how did you do that so quickly?”

Stiles shrugged. “It was just a simple shield.”

“No,” Sumaya said, “I got that. But how did you do it that fast?”

Stiles glanced between Sumaya and Derek and squinted back at her. “I don’t know. I… when I first started training, my teacher, who’s a druid, he said he wanted me to be able to do the magic without thinking, so Derek helped me train until I could do most of the spells… basically as an instinct or a reaction.”

“You trained together?” 

“Yea…” Stiles said slowly. “Why?”

Sumaya shrugged slightly. “I’ve never heard of one of us magical folks training with a werewolf, that’s all.”

“Well, if you’re faster with your magic than Mommy, do you think you could play magical catch with me?” Jasmine asked.

Stiles laughed, “I could probably try. Do you want to play with your ball, or my special magic one?”

Jasmine dropped her ball instantly. “You have a magic ball?”

Stiles glanced back at Sumaya, who was grinning next to Frankie and Derek. He did a fancy flourish and produced his _lumos_ ball and handed it to Jasmine. She hesitantly took it, but once she realized that she could hold it on her own, held it up high to show her moms. “Look at this!”

They played catch with Stiles’ light ball for a few minutes before Sumaya called them to wash their hands for dinner. Stiles sighed as he sat down and Sumaya reached out to pat his arm. “I’ve never thought to try that with the light. Is it difficult?”

“Not really,” Stiles said with a grin. “At first it was pretty draining if I let it get too far from me, like if I let the rest of the pack play with it, but as long as I can touch it every once in a while, I can add more power to it to keep it going.”

Sumaya nodded and held out her hand, focusing on it. After a few seconds a small yellowish ball appeared. She tossed it to Stiles, but it vanished before it reached his hands. 

“Maybe just try putting it on the table at first?” Stiles suggested. “You have to keep feeding it…” Stiles trailed off as Sumaya got another ball and placed it on the table in front of her. She grinned widely at Stiles as the ball continued to glow. “That’s it,” he said with a returning grin. 

“Alright, the two of you,” Frankie said finally. “Dinner is going to get cold if you keep playing.”

“Of course, I’m so sorry,” Sumaya said with a laugh. “Eat up!

“So how have you boys been enjoying your first week here?” Frankie asked after everyone got food on their plates. 

Derek and Stiles exchanged glances before they both laughed. “It’s definitely been interesting,” Derek answered. 

“They met Lillian already,” Sumaya explained to Frankie. “Derek told me about it this morning at work.”

Frankie scoffed as she turned to Stiles. “What did she offer you?”

“Um, unlimited power, I think,” Stiles responded.

“Mmm,” Sumaya nodded. “That was her first approach with me too.”

“She’s approached you multiple times?” Derek asked, his eyebrows furrowing. 

“About once a year,” Sumaya confirmed. “But she’s also very involved in the neighborhood, and she donates food to the school a lot, as well as all of the local shelters. She wants people to know, respect, and like her.”

Stiles squinted down at his food. “That sounds pretty standard, for an Alpha. But you don’t like her?”

Sumaya and Frankie both shook their heads. “She hasn’t done anything… and neither has anyone in her pack. I just don’t trust them.”

They continued to chat through dinner, with Jasmine chiming in to tell them stories that Stiles couldn’t quite decide were fictional or not. 

After they finished, Frankie turned to Derek, “Would you help me with the dishes? I’m sure the two of them are dying to play with their magic again.”

“Oh!” Jasmine shouted, jumping up, “I can show you my wolves!”

Derek grinned as he picked up several plates. “That sounds fantastic.” He pecked a kiss on Stiles’ temple before following Frankie and Jasmine into the house. 

Nearly an hour later, Stiles holds up his hand for Sumaya to stop and she drops onto one of the patio chairs. They were both out of breath but smiling widely at each other. 

“I can’t believe how powerful your wards are,” Stiles said.

“And I can’t believe how quickly you put yours up,” Sumaya responded. “Mine are stronger, but there are definitely benefits to putting them up faster, and I think it’s so interesting how you can keep feeding power into yours to strengthen them once they're up.”

“But your method of weaving together different levels of wards and spells is ingenious,” Stiles added. “I really can’t believe I never thought about that.”

“I have some spare crystals,” Sumaya said, rising and walking to the shed. “You can anchor wards in these so that they stay in place and don’t drain you at all.”

“Really?” Stiles asked, eyes wide. “I’ve been using talismans to help extend my reach, but they are draining.”

Sumaya nodded. “Talismans are much more flexible and mobile. Crystals work best when they’re stationary, and you have to be careful because if you put too much power into them they crack, and become useless.” As she spoke, she carefully wrapped a few fist-sized chunks of clear crystal and put them into a small box. 

“That’s why you layer on the spells,” Stiles realized, “that way you can sense how full they are and not overload them.” Sumaya nodded, and Stiles shook his head as he continued, “My teachers keep telling me that I’m not fully trained yet, but… just seeing how many things I haven’t even thought about yet is kind of blowing my mind.”

Sumaya laughs, “Sweetheart, I’m almost 30 and I’ve been training since I was 14. You said you’ve been at this for three years now? Even if you are some kind of prodigy, I’ve still got years of experience on you.”

*

Lydia called Stiles the next evening. Stiles stared down at the incoming call. Why would she be calling? They usually only text, not call. He answered it after a second. 

“Hey, Stiles,” she panted and he immediately stood up. He had never heard Lydia sound both angry and breathless at the same time. She was always calm and collected, or angry and collected. But she never lost her cool. “You know how you’ve had some secret for the past few years? Well Danny just let me in on it after we ran into a pack of werewolves. Werewolves, Stiles!” She was shouting at the end and Stiles winced, looking at Derek across the room. 

Danny grabbed the phone, “Hey so I know you said that we don’t smell enough like the pack to cause a problem if we ran into another pack here, but um… there’s a problem.” 

“Danny do you have that ring I gave you?” 

“Yea, dude, you literally told me never to take it off.” 

“Well, I wasn’t sure if you would listen. Stay close to Lydia, alright?” 

Stiles focused on the connection between himself and the small jade ring he had given Danny. He hadn’t actually tried to cast a ward all the way across the country yet, but he let out a deep sigh as he felt it snap into place. 

“Ok, Danny, I put one of those wards around you. Lydia, most radiant goddess, I’m going to switch to video call, alright? And then, yes, I will answer every single question you have, I promise. Hey, uh, Danny, what color eyes are we working with here?” 

Danny hesitated, “We’ve got one alpha and three betas.” 

“Right,” Stiles coughed a little as the camera switched on and he could see the four angry werewolves. “Hi folks,” Stiles said, his voice raised a little. “I’d like to apologize first of all, but secondly, I need to ask what the problem is. These two are humans and as such, shouldn’t be a problem. They’re in Boston to go to college.” 

The alpha stepped forward, “What is this ward? How are you doing this from a distance? Where are you? Who are you?” 

Stiles frowned slightly. “I’m the emissary for the Hale Pack of Beacon Hills, California. These two humans are friends and allies, but not full members of the pack. I am a Spark, and they are under my protection. Is there a problem?”

The Alpha frowned. “You’re casting a ward from California? And the redhead isn’t a human.”

“What? Of course she is,” Stiles scoffed. 

“No. I’m sure of it.”

“Um… Stiles?” The phone shifted again and Stiles could see Lydia’s face. “It’s… possible he’s right.”

“What?” Stiles and Derek both said at the same time. 

“Lyds, what are you talking about?” Stiles asked.

She shrugged. “I’m not really sure… but some weird things have been happening the past few days. And honestly… based on all the things Danny has told me in the last few minutes, I think I’d prefer being something supernatural over losing my mind, which was honestly what I thought was going on.”

“Alright,” Stiles said, rubbing at his forehead. “Alright we can figure this out. Sorry, can you point me at the Alpha again?” The camera shifted and Stiles dropped his hand. “Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I’m sorry for being unaware of this, and for intruding on your territory without contacting you first. And I’m sorry to ask this of you, but do you know what she is?”

“I’m right here you know,” Lydia said sharply. 

“Yes, Lydia, my goddess, but right now I can’t help you a whole ton since I’m on the other side of the country,” Stiles explained quickly. “And I told Danny he was safe there, and he is, because he’s human. But if you aren’t human, then I should have reached out to the packs there to… basically to get you a study visa. That’s my job.”

The Alpha eyed Stiles through the camera. “You’re really the Emissary?” 

“I am,” Stiles said, rubbing at his forehead again. “I’m really sorry, again. I don’t know how none of us picked up on this…”

“I think she’s a banshee,” the Alpha said eventually. 

“What?” Lydia practically shrieked.

“No, no, no, Lyds,” Stiles consoled. “It’s not like in the movies or stories or whatever. I’ll explain. Just… Sorry, dude, I don’t know your name…”

“I’m Vernon,” the Alpha replied. “Vernon Romano.”

“Of the Romano-Bottineli Pack?” Derek asked, stepping forward so he was visible on Stiles’ camera. The Alpha nodded and Derek gave a small wave, “I’m Derek Hale, of the Hale Pack.”

The man pursed his lips. “I heard that your pack was finally rebuilding.”

Derek glanced at Stiles, “We are.”

“Well. Banshees tend to have a harder time in cities… there’s a lot more death here than there is in smaller towns or more rural areas,” Vernon explained. “Lydia, is it? If your powers are only now manifesting, then it could be due to that.”

“What am I supposed to do?” Lydia whispered. “I refuse to drop out of college simply because I’ve been having hallucinations and… sleep walking sometimes.”

“Shit, Lydia,” Stiles said sorrowfully. “I’m so sorry.” He sighed deeply. “Vernon, if I promise to work with Lydia to help her gain control, and maybe send someone there to help her train, will that be adequate with you?”

Vernon nodded. “You can drop your impressive ward. We don’t mean them any harm. I just needed to figure out what she was doing here. There’s an influx of supernatural people at the beginning of every semester, so we have to spend a few weeks seeking them out and making sure they’re going to behave.”

“Of course,” Stiles said, closing his eyes and focusing on the ward. He dropped the ward and swayed on his feet, smiling up at Derek as he wrapped an arm around Stiles’ waist. “Alright. Lydia, it’s almost time for me to answer your questions, I promise. Can you or Danny give Vernon my phone number?” 

“I’m on it,” Danny promised, stepping forward towards the other werewolves hesitantly. 

“It was good meeting you, Emissary,” Vernon said. “I’m sorry we frightened your pack members, but you can clearly protect them, even from as far away as you are. I look forward to working with your pack.”

Stiles tried to keep his face serious even though he wanted to grin widely. “And we look forward to working with yours,” he said instead. 

*

“Deaton, do you have any books on werewolf etiquette?”

“Hello, Stiles. How are you? How has Stanford been treating you so far? I’m doing well on my own, thank you for asking. It’s been quiet here with both you and Scott gone.”

Stiles laughed, “I’m sorry. You’re right of course. I should have started out at the beginning of a conversation, not halfway through one.”

Deaton chuckled. “It’s alright Stiles. I know you well enough by this point. Why the sudden interest in etiquette?”

Stiles rubbed his forehead, a gesture he realized he had done a lot in the past week. “I spoke to two new Alphas this week, and those meetings made me realize all of the ways I’m not fully prepared to be an Emissary. There’s so much I don’t know!”

“Two?” 

“Yea, and also apparently Lydia is a banshee? An Alpha in Boston approached her because she just started to manifest there.”

“That actually makes sense,” Deaton said. “Banshees can often live relatively normal lives in rural areas like this, unless there are extenuating circumstances. They’re often triggered to manifest when they’re near violent deaths… which are often much more common in cities.”

“But it’s my responsibility to help her get trained!” Stiles exclaimed. “And I didn’t even know she wasn’t human!”

“Stiles, just wait. Even though you’re living on your own now, you’re still not fully trained. This is partially my responsibility as well. I believe that Araceli has some banshee in her family. Would you like to reach out to them for advice?”

“Yea, actually, I can do that.” Stiles sighed. “Thank you Deaton.”

“And the other Alpha?”

Stiles scoffed. “She wants to poach me. But also she made us eat a meal with her, and I didn’t realize that Laura was so untraditional in letting us all eat together without any rules or anything.”

“Hmm,” Deaton said. “Keep an eye on her pack then. A Spark increases a pack’s power, and with so many packs in that area, I’m sure she would like the boost your power would give her.” Deaton chuckled again. “I believe that Isaac is going down to visit tomorrow? I’ll give him a few books to bring to you. I’m also going to recommend that Laura teach the rest of the pack some basic etiquette as well. They don’t need to follow it, but they should all be aware of it.”

“That’s a good idea,” Stiles agreed. 

*

Stiles wrapped his arms around Derek’s waist from behind as Derek wiped down the counters for the third time in the past hour. 

“I know,” Derek laughed softly. “He’s almost here.”

“I know,” Stiles agreed. “I can feel him.”

Derek turned around and cupped Stiles’ face, and their soft kiss slowly deepened, and before Stiles knew it, Derek pulled back and looked up. “He’s here.”

“Oh,” Stiles said, feeling a little dazed. “Oh, he is.” Derek moved to open the door and Stiles followed behind him, “And Allison is here too!”

Isaac jumped out of the car almost the second that Allison put it in park and ran up to Derek, throwing his arms around him. Stiles waved at Allison before wrapping his arms around Isaac’s and Derek’s waists.

“It’s been weird without the two of you,” Isaac murmured. “And Scott and Kira are gone too… it’s been too quiet in the house.”

“James’ rent is up in November,” Derek said softly. “He said he was going to ask Laura this weekend if he could move in.”

Isaac picked his head up finally, “Yea? That would be great.”

“Can I join this hug now?” Allison asked with a laugh. “I texted Laura so she knows we made it safely.”

Derek laughed and reached out to pull Allison into their group hug. “You don’t have to ask,” he said softly into her hair. “You’re pack too. You belong in all the group hugs.”

She shifted so she could rest her head on Derek’s shoulder. “Thanks Derek. I think that’s the longest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

“What can I say?” Derek said softly, “Missing the pack has made me effusive.”

“So we have some exciting options,” Stiles said, squeezing his arms slightly. “We can order in and just be cuddly couch potatoes all night, or we can go out down to this food truck rodeo and eat until we feel like falling over.”

“Is tonight the only food truck night?” Isaac asked.

“It is,” Derek answered. “They only do it Friday nights. But it ends by 10, so we can come back and watch movies after that if you want.”

“Let’s do that,” Isaac answered. “And we can be lazy tomorrow?”

Derek grinned. “We can.”

“Perfect. Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the boys have had an eventful first week on their own...


	4. Settling In

Stiles blinked at the sun hitting his eyes. He looked over his shoulder and smiled that he could only see Derek’s ear, since it felt like he had his face tucked into the back of Stiles’ neck. He tried to slip out of Derek’s arm, but he just tightened his arm around Stiles’ waist. 

“I’m going to make breakfast,” Stiles whispered, but Derek shook his head, rubbing his beard against Stiles’ sensitive skin. “But bacon.”

Derek let out a small laugh and loosened his grip. 

Stiles rolled over and pressed a kiss into Derek’s temple. “I’m taking your pillow,” Derek grumbled. Stiles laughed and patted his perfect butt as he finally got up. 

He glanced at his phone on his way to the bathroom and texted Lydia while he brushed his teeth. _“You up? How was your night?”_

She texted back almost immediately, which didn’t particularly surprise Stiles with the time difference and all. “ _No sleepwalking or hallucinations. You’re clearly up. Can we chat?”_

Lydia gave him about three seconds before video calling him, and he chuckled as he quietly spoke, “I have two sleeping werewolves in my house right now, but I’d love to chat with you while I start breakfast.”

“You’re so domestic that it’s adorable,” Lydia said. “But also. Werewolves, Stiles. Werewolves.”

Stiles covered his mouth so he wouldn’t laugh too loudly while he took eggs and bacon out of the fridge. “Lydia. We’ve talked about this already. A couple times.”

“I know, Stiles, but werewolves.” Lydia propped her phone up and Stiles watched her for a moment as she started applying makeup. “Also, those people you sent to help me with my powers or whatever, Josue and Angelica, they said their lease is for six months, and they’ll stay longer if I need more training.”

“Angelica is the banshee, right?” Stiles asked. “Miguel has six siblings and like thirty cousins, and I’ve only met a couple so I forget.”

“Yea she is. Apparently only women are banshees. But that Josue…”

“What about him?” Stiles asked.

“He is one sexy cowboy,” Lydia said with a small laugh before she turned back to the phone. “Stiles, how are they able to afford this? Angelica said she’s able to take all of her classes online this semester, but… didn’t Josue have a job? They both seem perfectly happy to drop everything and come here, and when I asked them why they were doing it, they implied that you were handling it.” 

Stiles coughed slightly before looking back at the screen. “Yea, remember I told you it’s our responsibility to train you?” Lydia nodded slowly. “That includes covering whatever expenses are associated with training you.”

“Stiles, you are not telling me that you’re paying for them to be here. You don’t have that kind of money.” 

“No,” Stiles said. “The pack is paying for it.”

“For their rent for six months?”

Stiles nodded. “And some extra for food and transportation.”

Lydia was silent for a few minutes. “They’re doing all that… for me?” Stiles nodded. “But why? And before you say it’s your responsibility or I’m pack or something ridiculous like that… I need a better explanation. I’ve never spoken to Laura, who Danny says is the Alpha, and I think I’ve said like… ten words to Derek… when he was a substitute teacher. Why are they supporting me?”

Stiles sighed. “You’re important to a lot of people in the pack. For that reason alone you count as a friend of the pack, just like Danny. But since you’re apparently part of the supernatural community, that puts you in a kind of weird position. You’re not officially pack, but if you want to be, the whole pack will gladly accept you.” Lydia opened her mouth to say something, but Stiles continued speaking before she got the chance. “Lydia, the supernatural all look out for each other. We know that if regular people found out, there would be way too much chaos, and nobody wants that, but there are also hunters who see it as their responsibility to… control any supernatural situations that could be dangerous. If we didn’t take care of your training, Vernon would have done something to help.”

“Just… for free?”

Stiles shrugged. “I don’t know him well enough yet to know that. Apparently some Alphas… expect… gratitude from the people they find and help train. Laura was telling me that she’s heard of some predatory Alphas who look for people like you who may not have the protection of a pack or alliance or anything and try to convince them to join their packs in exchange for training and support.”

“So I shouldn’t trust Vernon?”

“I didn’t say that,” Stiles said. “He did seem genuinely satisfied when I offered to handle your training, and he and Laura have spoken a few times this week. He might be a good guy.”

Lydia nodded. “Danny went on a date with one of his… people last night.”

“Oh yea?” Stiles asked with a small smile. “That’s cool.”

Lydia hummed for a moment. “So are you going to send me one of those magic rings you gave Danny?”

Stiles laughed, “Let me guess, you have specific requirements for what it looks like?”

“If I send you something, can you do your magic whatever, and then send it back to me?”

Stiles thought for a moment. So far, all of the things he had used for talismans had been things that originally had some significance to himself. He could probably use any regular item. 

“Yea that should work,” Stiles said finally, glancing down the hall toward the two bedrooms. “I’m hearing noises from the sleeping folks, so I want to just finish a few things up here.”

She flapped her hand at the screen. “Thank you, Stiles. I’ll give your love to Angelica and Josue.” 

“Tell them I’m going to chat with their Abuela in a bit too.”

Derek stepped into the kitchen and leaned over so he could see the phone, “Good morning, Lydia.”

“Good morning Derek,” she said with a tired smile. “I just learned that I have to thank you and your sister for paying for my training.”

Derek shrugged. “You’re welcome.” He glanced at Stiles, “You’re putting up less of a fight than Stiles did.”

She let out a small laugh, “Well, after waking up screaming in front of dead bodies miles away from my dorm room every night for a week, I’m stunningly grateful to Angelica for helping me get this under control. And so I’m also stunningly grateful to you guys for making it possible for Angelica to be here.”

Derek smiled and ducked his head before glancing back up at Lydia. “You’re welcome, again.”

*

Stiles sat down in the seat that was quickly becoming “his” in his favorite seminar class. There were just under twenty kids in the class, so they got to actually have discussions about things. He pulled his notebook and laptop out, and fished in his bag for his favorite pen. 

The guy who usually sat next to him came in and Stiles gave a small nod in greeting, before rolling up his sleeves and opening his laptop. 

“I didn’t want to ask at first, but, dude, I am so curious,” the guy next to Stiles said as he sat down and looked at Stiles’ arm. “It looks like you were struck by lightning.”

“Yea, that’s the story,” Stiles laughed. 

“Wait you were struck by lightning?” Two girls who had been chatting with each other across the table turned to stare at Stiles. 

He fought the urge to shrug his sleeve down but instead tried to fix his face into a wry grin. “I don’t really remember all the details. I was playing lacrosse in gym and then the next thing I knew everyone was staring at me and my friend Kira was screaming.” He shrugged and looked down at his hand.

“Did it hurt?” One of the girls asked. 

Stiles snorted. “I couldn’t feel my arm for a couple hours, but then yea, when the feeling came back it hurt a lot.”

“Oh my god,” the guy finally said. “Dude that’s crazy.” 

Stiles shrugged. If they thought that was crazy, then what would they think if he admitted what actually happened? It’s not like he could say, ‘Oh yea, my friend Kira didn’t realize she was a thunder kitsune and she manifested her powers while we were at school and I didn’t want anyone to see what was happening so I absorbed all of her lightning into my own body and hoped my Spark would be able to neutralize it while I basically dragged her out of school. Yea, it almost killed me, but it didn’t, so we’re all good.’ Stiles chuckled to himself as he opened his laptop. 

*

“So… are there any parties this weekend?”

Stiles slowly picked up his head to stare at Derek where he was cooking. “What?”

Derek shrugged and pointed at Stiles where he was sitting at the kitchen island with his books spread around him. “You just finished your first full week of college and you’re spending a Friday night doing homework. You said you met some cool people, right? Aren’t there any parties?”

Stiles blinked. “Yea, probably, but I’ve got work to do, plus Erica and Boyd should be here in an hour or so, and I’ve got my meeting with Araceli in the morning.”

“You could go out tomorrow night, if you want,” Derek suggested. “I’m sure Erica and Boyd would even go with you, if you want.”

Stiles squinted a little as he stared at his boyfriend. “But… I want to hang out with you, like, the four of us.”

Derek scrunched up his face for a moment while he searched for words, “But… but Stiles I don’t want you to miss out on anything. I don’t want you to feel like I’m forcing you to stay home every weekend just because I need the support of the pack.”

“What do you mean I’m missing out on things?” Derek shrugged and Stiles looked down at the books spread around him. “Derek, I’m doing important work for people I love. Did I tell you that two of Miguel’s siblings moved to Boston to train Lydia? I helped coordinate that because it’s good for the pack and it will also help one of my friends. I also video chatted with both Laura, Vernon, and his Emissary this morning between classes, and we agreed to a tentative alliance.” Stiles waved his hands as he spoke. “Derek! This is our first new alliance. And I helped coordinate it! And then Laura also talked to Lillian to let her know that she would be visiting us in a few weeks, and they both agreed to be cordial, which could be the first step towards an alliance there, even with Lillian’s gross overture. Plus I have all of my actual work for Stanford, which, may I remind you, is the school of my dreams, and also the man of my dreams moved to Palo Alto to live with me while I pursue my degree?” Derek is grinning by the end of Stiles’ speech. “I am loving every minute of this.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes, Derek, I am sure. Plus, the pack are my friends too, and I miss them. I might not need them in the same way you do, but I miss them.” Stiles got up and walked around the island until he was in front of Derek. “Please don’t think that you’re making me miss out on things.”

“Alright,” Derek said with a small smile. “I won’t pester you about trying to have more of a social life then.” 

“Good,” Stiles said, leaning in to press their lips together.


	5. Unexpected Obstacles

“You’re coming home next weekend, right?” Erica asked as they were leaving the restaurant they had an early dinner at. 

“Yea,” Stiles said as he slipped an arm around Derek’s waist. “Deaton got some of those crystals I ordered, so I’m going to try placing the wards around Laura’s house. I’ve got them up around our house here, but this will be my experiment with distances.”

“That’s cool,” Boyd said.

“Everybody misses you,” Erica said as she looped her arms with both Boyd and Derek so they were walking four-across. “It’s not the same without you.”

“How’s your mom’s training been going?” Derek asked Erica. 

“Good, I think. She and Laura have been doing a lot of one-on-one stuff in the Preserve,” Erica answered. “I think Mom’s excited about the idea of training new betas when we get them. She’s going to retire soon, and she said it’ll be good to have something to focus on.”

Boyd stopped abruptly and sniffed the air, squinting a little. 

“What?” Derek asked, inhaling deeply too.

Boyd shook his head, “I thought I smelled another wolf.”

Derek pointed, “The Garcia Palo Alto Pack’s home is a couple blocks that way, and they’ve got a large pack. I’m sure they come over here sometimes.”

“No, Stiles walked me through their territory earlier,” Boyd said quietly. “This didn’t smell like them.”

“Weird,” Derek said, inhaling deeply again. “I’ll keep an eye out for others.”

Boyd patted Derek’s back and smiled at him as they kept walking.

*

_“Parent teacher conferences FINALLY ended. You’re still meeting me here, right?”_

Stiles grinned as he glanced at his phone and he picked up his step a little. He had decided to walk to Derek’s school, since he had driven this morning and they didn’t need to drive two separate cars home after dinner. Plus, he hadn’t had time to go running in a couple days, and since they were driving to Beacon Hills tomorrow to spend the weekend there, he probably wouldn’t have time then either.

 _“A block away_ ,” he responded. 

“Hand over your phone,” a voice snarled from the darkness.

Stiles froze and glanced to the side and realized there were two people standing in the shadows between two buildings that he hadn’t noticed. 

“What?”

“Your fucking phone. Hand it over.”

“And your wallet too,” the other man said. Stiles saw a flash of metal in the second man’s hand.

Stiles’ eyes widened as he realized a whole handful of things simultaneously. He was being mugged. He was being mugged by two humans. He couldn’t use his magic. Because he was being mugged. By two humans. 

“Fuck,” Stiles muttered the second before the first man stepped forward and swung his fist. Stiles dodged to the side, but the second man caught him in the cheek with his punch. Stiles deflected the second man when he swung again, but shouted as his feet went out from under him. He tried to roll away but someone kicked him in his stomach. He instinctively curled in on himself as another kick connected. 

Suddenly Stiles heard the sound of something heavy hitting a body and he saw one of the men fly over him and crash to the sidewalk.

“Stiles?” Derek asked and he glanced up to watch as Derek punched the other attacker in the face. The man screamed and covered his face. Stiles watched as blood streamed out from between his fingers while he slowly climbed to his feet. 

“I’m fine,” he groaned out as Derek twisted the bleeding man’s arm behind his back while stalking over to the man who was groaning on the floor. 

“Stay down,” Derek growled out as he tossed the second man on the floor next to his friend. 

Stiles pulled out his phone again and dialed 911. Derek crowded into him and gently touched him while he spoke to the dispatcher. Stiles was sure he had bruises blooming already all over his body, and he was worried some of his ribs were broken, based on the pain he felt each time he inhaled. Derek kept siphoning off pain little bits at a time, but he also kept turning and glaring threateningly at the two men as they lay groaning on the floor. 

Two cops and an ambulance arrived after a couple minutes and Derek spoke to the police officers while the EMTs checked out Stiles. One of the cops came over to talk to Stiles while an EMT was patching a cut Stiles didn’t even realize he had along his cheek.

“You’re lucky your boyfriend was just around the corner,” the cop commented. 

“I know,” Stiles said, smiling up at Derek.

The trip to the hospital was all an unpleasant whirl, and the two of them didn’t get home until almost two in the morning. Stiles was half asleep as Derek helped him into the house. He had a couple ice packs wrapped around his ribs where they were fractured, but the doctor has assured them that was the worst of his injuries, and that they would heal on their own in about a month. 

The doctor didn’t have to mention Stiles’ bruises because they were obvious to everyone in the room. By the time he was released, he had large purple and blue splotches across his ribs and thigh, and one of his eyes was swollen half-shut. Stiles had been given enough pain meds to last for a couple days and a prescription for more. 

Once he was in bed, Derek curled around him, “I’m so sorry I didn’t get there sooner.”

“Hush,” Stiles whispered. “You saved me.” Stiles felt tears leak out of the corners of his eyes. “I felt paralyzed. I had a dozen different ways I could have stopped them if they were supernatural or hunters… but… I’m defenseless against regular people. I hate feeling weak.”

“I could teach you how to fight,” Derek offered.

“Babe, I love you, but you just throw your brute strength at people and they fall down. I’m basically 150 pounds of fragile bones, sarcasm, and magic. I need some, like, specialized fighting training. Maybe I’ll sign up for self-defense classes. Why are you smiling at me like that?” 

Derek leaned up to kiss Stiles gently. “That’s the first time you said you loved me,” he answered. 

“What? No it isn’t,” Stiles said, “Oh my god, wait, you’re right.” 

“I love you too, you know,” Derek said softly, pressing their foreheads together.

Stiles cupped Derek’s face. “I love you,” he said again. Derek’s smile somehow got bigger.

*

The next morning, Derek wanted to call out sick from work, but Stiles insisted he go in. “Look, I promise I won’t leave the house, which is nice and safe and protected. I only have one class today, and I can submit all of the work online, so the professor won’t even be angry.” Derek had looked guilty and indecisive, “Go. I’m going to take more of these nice pain meds and go back to sleep. And then we can leave for Beacon Hills at like 3:30 when you get home, ok? We’ll have dinner with Laura tonight.”

Derek had finally grinned and kissed Stiles before getting ready for work. Stiles closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep to the sound of the shower running. 

When he woke it was a little after noon. Even though his ribs hurt, Stiles forced himself to get out of bed and shower too. He grimaced as he looked at all of the bruises on his body, but shuffled into the kitchen after getting dressed in sweatpants and one of Derek’s shirts. After eating, he went out into the yard and visited each of the crystals he had planted around the house, adding new layers of protection and privacy to them like Sumaya had shown him. 

After he was satisfied, he went back into the house and took another one of his pain pills before settling into bed with his laptop. He sent an email to his professor and then responded to a few classmates through Blackboard. 

_“You awake?_ ”

Stiles grinned at Laura’s text and video called her in response. 

“Hey Stiles,” Laura’s voice sounded relieved when she answered. “Why can’t I see you?”

“I wanted to warn you first,” Stiles said, keeping the camera pointed at his shoulder. “Derek told you about everything?”

“Yea, this morning,” she said softly, “Stiles I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine,” he said tiredly, “I feel better than I look.” He slowly shifted the camera so Laura could see his face and she gasped out his name. “I know, I know. I texted my dad last night and again this morning, but I know he was working the overnight shift.”

She nodded, “He worked three in a row so he’d be off all weekend.” She glanced away, “He’s actually in his office now. I’m sure he won’t mind if I interrupt him.”

“Would you mind?”

“Nah, let’s go,” she said as she rose from her desk. “Sir?” 

“Hey Laura,” his dad’s voice sounded soft through the phone, “what’s up?”

“Stiles wanted to say hi,” Laura responded. “I think he wanted to ease us into seeing him too.”

“Is it bad?” his dad asked, “I know he bruises like a peach.”

The camera shifted and Stiles finally got to see his dad. He tried not to grimace as his dad stared at his face through the screen silently for a minute. 

“Aww, Stiles,” his dad finally sighed out. “They got you good, huh?”

“Yea, but I’m really okay,” Stiles promised. “Plus, I’m pretty sure Derek fucked them up.”

“Language,” his dad corrected absently. “And good. I’m glad he was there to look out for you.”

“I didn’t realize how much I would rely on… my other form of defense. But when I couldn’t use it I forgot everything that you taught me about defending myself,” Stiles admitted. “I’m going to start taking self-defense classes here, once my ribs heal all the way, so that becomes more reflexive again.”

“That’s a good idea, kiddo,” his dad said. “I’m going to leave here in just a couple minutes and sleep until you get home, alright? We’re having dinner at Laura’s tonight, but then you promised you’d spend the day with me tomorrow, yea?”

“Yea, dad,” Stiles said with a small smile. “I can’t wait.”

*

When Derek walked into the house a few hours later, Stiles was sitting on the couch watching tv. 

“You said you wouldn’t leave the bed,” Derek said with a smile as he came over and kissed Stiles gently. 

“I’m sorry,” Stiles said as he pulled Derek closer. “I failed. Also, my ribs hurt, but the rest of me is fine. Please don’t avoid touching me just because you want to be gentle.”

Derek chuckled as he pulled Stiles in for another kiss, one hand roaming up into Stiles’ hair as the other rubbed up his thigh.

“That’s better,” Stiles said after a minute. “I packed a bag for us, by the way.”

“Mmmm,” Derek responded, running his nose down Stiles’ neck, “and I noticed that you’re wearing my shirt.”

“Yea, you wanna know why?” Derek looked up as Stiles grinned, “It’s because I love you.”

Derek’s face split into a wide grin and he shifted forward so he was straddling Stiles. “I love you too,” he said before kissing Stiles deeply. “This is really okay?” Derek asked after another minute or two. “I’m not hurting you?”

“Nope,” Stiles answered. “I really think I’m okay, as long as I don’t try to make any sudden movements, although I’m sure if you press on my ribs they’ll hurt.”

“Well then I definitely won’t do that,” Derek said as he kissed a line down Stiles’ neck. He shifted again and slowly climbed off Stiles’ lap until he was kneeling on the floor between Stiles’ legs. 

“Babe,” Stiles started, his hands unable to resist tangling in Derek’s hair. “I thought you wanted to leave soon, before the traffic gets bad.”

“I do,” Derek said as he kissed along Stiles’ stomach and popped the button on his jeans. “But I also want…” he inhaled deeply before glancing back up, “I know you hated feeling helpless last night, but it took every ounce of my control not to tear those two men apart for hurting you. Can I… can I do this?”

Stiles smiled fondly down at his boyfriend, “God, how could I say no? But only if we get to actually have sex tonight, please? I don’t want you treating me like I’m fragile for the next month.”

Derek grinned as he pulled Stiles’ underwear to his knees, releasing his hard cock, “I promise.”


	6. Home for the Weekend

“I’m glad the weather cooperated,” Laura said as she stepped between Stiles and Derek and linked her arms around both of their waists. “It’s just nicer eating out here on the patio with everyone.”

“What are we going to do for Thanksgiving?” Stiles asked. “And Christmas? We’re still missing a bunch of people right now. How are we going to fit everyone when people all come back from college?"

“Maybe we can set up another table in the living room,” Derek suggested. “Like mom used to with the kiddie table.”

“But who would sit at it?” Laura laughed. "Nobody's a kid."

“Whoever wants to,” Stiles suggested.

“No, I believe the children should sit at it,” John said as he came over to the trio. “And that would include, say, anyone under twenty-five.”

“Well, I’m glad to know I get to sit at the adult table in my own house,” Laura laughed as Stiles squawked indignantly. 

John laughed before turning to address Stiles, “So… are you sleeping here or at home tonight?”

Stiles and Derek exchanged glances, “I was thinking about sleeping here,” Stiles answered after a few seconds. 

John shrugged. “See how well I’m adjusting? I can deal with you being an adult… sort of.”

Stiles laughed and threw an arm over his dad’s shoulders. “Thanks Pops.”

*

“You’re sure the rooms are sound-proof?” Stiles asked after Derek closed his bedroom door and practically pounced on Stiles. Derek shrugged as he reached for Stiles’ jeans and unbuttoned them. “Please, babe, I’m surprisingly less interested in voyeurism when it’s your sister and the rest of the pack who would be hearing us.”

Derek laughed and finally stopped kissing along Stiles’ neck. “They’re not completely sound-proof, but they’re definitely dampened. If you’re really so worried, why don’t you put one of your silence spells up?”

Stiles blinked a few times before grinning widely. “Derek you are a genius.”

“So I was thinking,” Derek murmured into Stiles’ neck. Stiles hummed as he tried to focus on his magic so he could put up the silencing ward. “It has been entirely too long since you fucked me.”

Stiles gripped at Derek’s shoulders. “Oh god, yes.” He dropped his hands to Derek’s waist and pushed him toward the bed. “Come on, the faster we get our clothes off, the faster I get my hands on your body.”

Derek groaned and nodded as they both started tearing clothing off. He grabbed the container of lube from his nightstand, glad that he had decided to keep a spare here, and tossed it to Stiles. Derek laid down and watched as Stiles surveyed his whole body. “God you’re gorgeous,” Stiles said softly, bringing a wide smile to Derek’s face. 

Derek pulled one of Stiles’ hands to his mouth and brought a finger into his mouth. Stiles groaned as he climbed forward to straddle Derek. “No, no, no,” he murmured, pulling Stiles’ finger out of his mouth. “You need to put these to work.”

Stiles laughed softly as he shifted again, dropping his wet finger and circling Derek’s hole. “I need to do some work down here?” 

Derek laughed as he shifted again, “God, yes, Stiles, please. Please.”

*

“So bud,” John said, looking over at Stiles where they had both been sitting and watching the Mets game for the past few hours. Now they were in the post-game discussions, so they could think about what to do next. “What do you wanna do for dinner? I was thinking we could go get burgers from the diner? They’ve even started selling that Impossible Burger, and it’s not half-bad.”

Stiles lazily flopped his head towards his dad and grinned, “I’ve got a surprise.”

“Yea?”

Just then, the front door opened and Derek and Isaac walked in, both of them carrying bags full of groceries. 

“I called two of my favorite chefs,” Stiles explained as his dad sat up straight. 

“We’re having a family meal?” 

Stiles’ heart squeezed as his dad looked back down at him with wide, happy eyes. “Yea, like old times.”

John reached over and gently hugged Stiles, before getting up and moving to hug both Isaac and Derek. “I’m so glad to have all my boys together for dinner again.” Isaac looked like he was going to say something, but looked down instead. John pulled him in for another hug. “I mean that,” he said, patting Isaac’s back. “I know that we’re all pack and all, but you three are mine.” 

“Thanks, John,” Isaac said eventually, even though he was still blushing. 

“Are you going to help us cook?” Derek asked with a grin. 

“Nah,” Stiles said. “I was thinking my dad and I could go for a nice, healthsome walk and get some fresh air, since we would just be in the way in the kitchen.”

“I like that idea,” John said with a grin, “and then we’ll clean up afterwards.”

"It's also good because you'd spend the whole time mooning over Derek, and you'd be in our way," Isaac joked, hip checking Stiles towards the door.

“I wouldn't mind,” Derek said with a grin, stepping over to press a kiss to Stiles’ temple before going into the kitchen. "But this way is probably better."

*

Sunday after breakfast, Stiles bundled up his crystals and he and Laura trudged out into the woods. Derek was glad to stay on the couch with Isaac and James and play Mario Kart. 

Before planting each crystal in the ground, Stiles had Laura hold each crystal so he could attune it to her. Araceli had said that werewolves couldn’t create the wards, but that they were capable of being anchored to them, and since Stiles wanted to protect the territory, he figured the best thing would be to anchor the spells in the crystals to the Alpha of the territory. 

“As much as I love going for a nature hike with you,” Laura said after they planted the third crystal, “you wanna explain what you’re doing?”

Stiles laughed. “Sorry. I know I get quiet when I’m focusing on my magic.” 

Laura grinned and shrugged. “I’ve lived with Derek basically my whole life. I’m used to people quietly focusing.”

“Ok, so I’ve put in protection, privacy, and one that Araceli just taught me, so I’m not entirely sure I got it right, but it’s supposed to be an aversion charm that only affects people that have ill intentions towards the residents.” Stiles held the last crystal out to Laura and focused on it, “And I’m anchoring all of them to you.”

“Anchoring them to me?”

Stiles nodded as he lifted the crystal from her hands. It was easier now that he had done it a few times. “You’re the Alpha. The territory belongs to you. It knows it does. These crystals are anchored in your power, and I’m basically just adding additional layers of magic to the ones that you have already established.”

“Just by being the Alpha?” 

“Yup.”

Laura nodded as she followed Stiles. “I like that. And I don’t have to do anything?”

Stiles shook his head. “When I come back, I’m going to try layering in more magic. Each crystal can only hold so much, but Sumaya, the teacher who works with Derek, was showing me how I can layer in really thin layers of spells, so that they’re even stronger than one big spell would be. Plus, these won’t drain my magic at all, so I can keep depositing more and more in them, and it won’t ever affect how much I can access at any one time.”

“So you’ll still be at full strength, even though the territory is fully protected as well?”

Stiles nodded again. “If this feels like it’s working, then I was thinking about seeing if I can place them all around Beacon Hills, see if I can protect the whole town.”

Laura’s eyes widened. “You could do that?”

“I’m not sure,” Stiles said with a shrug. “I’d need a lot of crystals, and it’ll probably take me years before I can layer the magic in enough that it will significantly protect the whole town.”

“Stiles, you’ll be a legend if you can pull that off.”

He laughed and pushed at Laura as they finally approached the house again.


	7. Blue Moon

“Lillian is calling me,” Stiles said, glancing up at Derek where he was grading essays at the kitchen table. Tonight was the full moon, and after school Derek had gone for a run for a few hours. After coming back and showering, Stiles had blown Derek on the couch while they waited for dinner to be delivered. “Hello?”

“Stiles, we’re having something of an emergency,” Lillian said, her voice higher than normal. “I’d really appreciate it if you could come down to the Cafe. Bring Derek if he’s home. We pinned an omega in the alley behind… but… he’s really young.”

“What?” Stiles said as he and Derek rose from their seats. “We’re on our way.”

Stiles grabbed an extra bag of mountain ash as he ran after Derek. He always kept a small one on him, but in the case of an emergency, he wanted to have more to be prepared. Derek sped the few blocks to the Cafe and Stiles cursed as they got out of the car. He threw up a large sound ward around the whole Cafe to muffle the sounds of snarling that he could hear. It wouldn’t silence everything, but it would prevent the sounds from traveling so clearly up the block. They raced around back and Stiles saw that there were nearly a dozen people, all in the beta shift, circling around a smaller, growling figure. 

Stiles couldn’t guess his age with him in his beta shift, but based only on his size, he couldn’t have been more than ten or twelve. His eyes were also glowing bright blue. 

“Shit,” Stiles and Derek said simultaneously. 

When they got close enough, Lillian’s betas shifted to let them into the circle. Stiles placed a hand over his ribs that were aching after rushing around to the back of the cafe. Lillian made eye contact with both of them over the child. “He seems completely feral,” Lillian said over the child’s growls. “He hasn’t shifted back, and if anyone tries to get too close he attacks them.”

“You’ve tried talking to him, right?” Derek asked. Lillian nodded. “Shit,” Derek said again. 

Stiles looked questioningly at Derek, but Lillian explained, “If we can’t get him to calm down, we only have 48 hours before the hunters can claim him. Nobody wants that.”

Stiles pursed his lips. “Alright. Lillian, I’m going to put a ward inside your circle, alright? It’ll just be Derek, me, and the kid. If I can’t get him to calm down, I can get him to sleep. Then we can work from there, right?”

She nodded. 

Stiles pulled out enough mountain ash and tossed it into the air, focusing on it as it fell to the ground forming a perfect circle around the trio. Derek stepped in front of Stiles and squatted down. 

“Hey buddy,” he said softly. “We’re here to help, alright?” The kid growled and backed up slightly, glancing in alarm at the invisible ward that prevented him from moving away from Derek. “That’s there to protect us, alright? My boyfriend, see him there?” The kid glanced up at Stiles who gave a small smile. “He has magic and he can use it to protect us. That’s pretty special, right?” The kid’s growls died down. “My name is Derek, and my boyfriend’s name is Stiles.”

“What kind of name is Stiles?” The kid asked quietly, slurring slightly around his fangs.

Stiles laughed, “It’s a nickname. My real name is so much worse.”

The kid stared between Derek and Stiles for a moment before curling in on himself. “You shouldn’t be nice to me. I’m a monster.”

“No you’re not,” Derek said softly. He waved at Lillian’s pack around them and himself. “We’re just like you. We’re all werewolves, except for Stiles, and none of us are monsters.”

“But you don’t get it,” the kid protested. “After I was bit… Ennis said that I would be special for him… but then I couldn’t control myself… and… he told me it was all my fault, and that’s why my eyes turned blue… because I killed… I… I killed…” The kid started sobbing and Derek shifted forward onto his knees and wrapped his arms around the kid’s shoulders quickly. The kid pushed for a second before collapsing onto Derek and he just kept sobbing. Stiles glanced over them at Lillian, who was staring at the kid in horror. 

“Kid, you’re not a monster,” Derek finally said. 

“My name is Ben. And I am. Look at my eyes!”

Derek pulled back slightly and shifted just so that his eyes would glow blue too. Several members of Lillian’s pack cursed and shifted behind them.

“You’re not a monster, Ben.” 

“Stiles?” Lillian said softly. 

He waved at her vaguely, hoping she wouldn’t question why Derek had blue eyes too, here, in front of her pack, several of whom were whispering to each other. 

“Ben,” he said as he stepped forward and kneeled beside Derek, “Ben you’re not a monster.”

Ben looked around them at the circle of gold and red-eyed werewolves. “But they’re all looking at me like I’m one.”

Derek sighed deeply before finally looking up and glancing at the pack around them. Several of them shifted uneasily as Derek’s blue gaze fell on them. 

“You’re right,” he said softly, looking back at Ben. “They don’t understand. They think that having blue eyes means we’re monsters, but it doesn’t. It just means that we’ve made mistakes.”

“You… you made mistakes too?” Ben whispered so softly Stiles could barely hear him.

“I did,” Derek said. “I trusted… someone I shouldn’t have, when I was a teenager. I trusted them and they lied to me and left me alone to clean up the mess.”

Ben glanced between Stiles and Derek several times. “Ennis said no one would love me after what I did.”

“Oh sweetheart, he was lying.” Stiles reached out and wrapped his arms around Derek and Ben’s shoulders. “He was lying because he wanted to blame you. He was the grown-up. It was his job to look out for you. Whatever happened was his responsibility.”

“Ennis is big and bald?” Lillian asked, drawing their attention. “From Arizona?” Ben nodded, his lip trembling. “God damn it. Meredith, handle it.” She squatted down so she was lower too. “Ben, I’ve known Ennis for a long time. Do you want to know what color his eyes were before he became an Alpha?” Ben nodded slowly. “They were blue.”

“Really?” 

She nodded before glancing at Derek and Stiles. “As far as we know, Ennis hasn’t crossed any lines before this, but he has definitely toed them a few times. But it sounds like he’s gone too far this time. Ben, how long ago did Ennis bite you?”

“Um… a few weeks, I think.” Stiles started rubbing small circles in his back as he thought. “It was before the last full moon. Not today, but the last one.”

Lillian stood up. “Probably six weeks then, at the new moon.”

“How old are you, Ben?” Derek asked. 

“Eleven and a half.”

Meredith reappeared and held her phone out for Lillian to read. Lillian’s face became grimmer the longer she stared at the screen. “Stiles I’m going to send this to you, but also, could the two of you take Ben home tonight? I think that might be the… safest thing for everyone.”

Ben looked up hopefully between Stiles and Derek. “Of course,” Derek answered. 

“We’d be happy to,” Stiles confirmed. “Ben, I’m going to take the ward down now, okay?” Ben nodded slowly and Stiles swept his hand out to collect all of the mountain ash again. “Do you think you could change your eyes back to normal?” Ben closed his eyes tightly and opened them after a minute. They were still blue. 

“I have a pair of sunglasses,” one of Lillian’s betas said. He held out a pair and Stiles took it with a smile. He offered it to Ben, who slid them on his face with a grimace. 

Derek rose and put his arm around Ben, pulling him close as they walked toward the car. 

“We’ll be in touch,” Stiles said to Lillian. 

“Thank you.”

Stiles drove home with Derek and Ben in the back seat. After parking in the driveway, Stiles slowly got out and pulled more mountain ash out of his pocket as Derek and Ben walked into the house. Stiles was glad that Deaton had him practice throwing down mountain ash lines instead of walking around the whole circle; if a neighbor had seen him walking around the house dropping a line of powder he definitely would have looked weird. Instead, he just tossed a handful out and it dropped, nearly invisible in the darkness, to the ground.

He came in the back door and heard the shower running. Derek was leaning against the wall in the hall outside the bathroom with his eyes closed. Stiles stepped up to him and wrapped his arms around Derek’s waist. 

“I put some of your clothes in there for him. I know they’ll be way too big, but they’re a little smaller than mine, at least.”

“I can run to the store tomorrow to pick some up,” Stiles said. “Did you call Laura yet?”

Derek nodded. “She’s on her way.”

“Can you and Ben talk to each other?” Stiles asked softly. Derek scrunched his eyebrows in confusion but nodded. “Ben, would you rather I heat up lasagna or leftover Chinese food? Or we could order pizza if he’d prefer.”

Derek chuckled, “He said he’d like Chinese food, and Ben, we don’t have any soda in the house. We’ve got seltzer, water, or juice.”

“Kay,” Stiles said, reaching up to kiss Derek briefly before moving towards the kitchen, “I’ll have it all ready in a couple minutes.”

A few minutes later, Ben came out of the bathroom and laughed as he showed Derek that he could pull the basketball shorts up to his armpits. 

“Come on,” Derek said with a laugh, guiding Ben towards the couch. “What do you want to watch on Netflix?”

“Have you seen Avatar: The Last Airbender?” Ben asked as he settled on the couch and took the plate Stiles offered him.

Derek shook his head and put it on and the three of them settled down on the couch. By the third episode, Ben was sound asleep, so Derek carried him to the spare bed and tucked him in. When Derek came out of the room, Stiles was standing in the hallway holding both of their pillows. Derek grinned and took them both to tuck on either side of Ben as he slept.

“We should have a pull-out couch,” Stiles commented once Derek closed the door. Derek shrugged his eyebrows. “So Laura could sleep there.”

Derek shook his head, “She’ll sleep with us. Go grab clean sheets, ok?” Derek opened the bedroom windows and then helped Stiles change the sheets. “The whole house smells like us, so as long as there isn’t any fresh spunk on the bed, she won’t be upset, I promise.”

Stiles laughed and had to clutch at his ribs. “Alright, laughing while bending over is apparently a problem.”

“I noticed you holding them when we ran before too,” Derek said softly. 

Stiles nodded before sitting on the bed. “It sucks,” he commented. “It’s been almost a week and I know it’s ridiculous to expect them to heal already…” 

Derek waited for Stiles to finish his thought. After a minute of silence, he asked, “What?” 

“I have to call Araceli,” Stiles said, rising quickly and starting to pace as he pulled out his phone and started texting. “Remember she kept touching me at my graduation party? She said she was just speeding up my body’s natural healing so the scar from Kira would heal, but she never actually taught me how to do it. I can’t believe I didn’t follow up with her about that. Alright, I texted Miguel. If he can’t tell me, he’ll talk to Araceli for me… but I know it’s late and I don’t want to wake her up.”

Derek reached out and caught Stiles’ arm, “Come here,” he requested, pulling Stiles until he stood between his legs. “We did an amazing thing tonight.”

Stiles stilled and rested his arms on Derek’s shoulders. “You’re right,” he said, taking a deep breath. “Would Lillian really have called hunters?”

“If she couldn’t figure out a way to help him… probably,” Derek said. “Also, she asked Meredith to handle the situation with Ennis. I don’t think she has an Emissary… which might be why she tried so hard to get you and Sumaya to join her pack.”

“But… it seems so harsh to call the hunters,” Stiles protested.

“Think about it though,” Derek said. “Remember what Chris said? Most hunters see it as their job to help maintain the peace. If they were good hunters, people like Chris, they would have shown up with tranq guns.”

“Chris did say that killing is never their first option,” Stiles noted. 

Derek nodded. “That’s assuming that the local hunters are like Chris, though.”

“Come on, let’s go watch some British people bake while we wait for Laura,” Stiles said after a few moments of the two of them just standing there holding each other. “If I lay down I’m going to fall asleep, and I need to open the ward for her.”

Derek nodded and followed Stiles into the tv room. They put on a random episode of the Great British Baking Show Masterclass and cuddled. Derek lifted his head after a few episodes and nudged Stiles, “She’s here.”

Stiles groaned softly as he got up and shuffled to the front door. He swept his hand aside as Laura walked up the steps and then swept it back after she pulled him into a hug. 

“He’s asleep,” Stiles murmured.

“Good. Bathroom and then let’s go straight to bed,” Laura responded with a tired laugh as she pulled Derek into their group hug. 

Within a few minutes they had all used the bathroom and brushed their teeth and were cuddled on the bed. 

“Why am I in the middle?” Stiles asked quietly. 

“Because you’re the wonderful glue that holds our whole pack together,” Laura answered sweetly. 

Stiles blinked a few times, “Thanks… but also I feel like you’re kinda just saying that so that I won’t fight you.”

Laura laughed as she slung an arm over Stiles’ waist. “I called Chris, by the way, while I drove down here. He’s putting out some inquiries and he’s going to let people know that we’re handling it.”

Stiles tensed, “Oh I forgot about the link Lillian sent me.”

Derek reached over to the nightstand and unplugged Stiles’ phone. The three of them read the article together, wincing as they got through the details. 

“They’re claiming a mountain lion broke into a suburban home in Tucson?” Stiles asked quietly.

“What else do you expect them to say?” Derek asked, “It says there’s claw marks and blood and…” 

“They assumed that the mountain lion ate Ben, since they couldn’t account for his remains,” Laura finished, “after killing his whole family.”

The three of them were silent for a minute. “How much do you think he remembers?” Stiles asked finally. 

“Enough,” Laura answered. “When we lose control, the wolf is the one calling the shots… but we’re still there, just like the wolf is always part of us, even now. They’re never completely separate. He probably remembers all of it… unless he’s just blocked out the trauma.”

“Shit,” Stiles said finally. 

“Yea,” Derek and Laura both agreed. They all drifted off to sleep soon after that, the exhaustion of the long day catching up with all of them. 

“Why are you helping me?” Ben asked abruptly as the early morning sunlight cascaded in through the windows, causing all three adults to startle awake. 

Derek got out of bed and approached Ben. “Because we want to,” he said, reaching an arm out to Ben, who immediately stepped into his embrace and rubbed his face against Derek’s chest. “Ben, I want you to meet my sister, Laura.”

“She’s an Alpha,” Ben observed.

“I am,” Laura said softly. “Can I come over there?”

Ben nodded hesitantly and Laura got up and moved slowly until she was standing next to Derek. “I heard about what happened last night,” she started. “I’m really glad that Stiles and Derek were there to help you, and I’m glad you trusted them.”

“You know your brother’s eyes are the same color as mine?”

“I do,” Laura said with a smile. “And do you know that I love him just as much as I did when his eyes were gold?”

“You really do?” Ben asked, glancing between Laura and Derek. “Ennis said…”

Laura put her hand on Ben’s shoulder. “Ben, Ennis lied to you about a lot of things. I’m different. I promise.”

Ben nodded and looked down at his hands for a few minutes. Stiles rose from the bed, padded past the werewolves and went into the kitchen. He pulled out all the bacon and eggs they had in the house and started cooking breakfast. 

“What about the hunters?” Ben asked after a minute as Derek guided him towards the living room.

“What hunters?” Laura asked. 

Ben shrugged. “That other Alpha,” he said quietly as he dropped onto the couch. “She said she’d have to call the hunters.”

“Only if you couldn’t find your control,” Derek explained, sitting down and putting an arm over Ben’s shoulders agin. “But you’re good now.”

“But I’m bad at controlling myself,” Ben whined. “What happens when I lose control again? Will the hunters come then?”

Laura shook her head and pointed at Stiles, “Remember his magic? He can make sure that you don’t hurt anybody, plus, if you’re in our pack, I’ll be able to help you too.”

Ben’s eyes widened, “I could be in your pack?”

“Of course, sweetheart,” Laura said kindly. “That’s why I’m here. An Alpha is able to help their betas control the shift, and even if we aren’t together, I’ll be able to feel when you’re having trouble.”

Ben was silent for another minute. “I killed my family,” he finally whispered so softly Stiles almost couldn’t hear him. 

“We know, honey,” Laura said just as softly. “And I’m so, so sorry. Did Derek tell you about our family?” 

Ben shook his head so Derek started talking softly. Stiles listened as Derek explained a PG version of what Kate did to the Hale pack, and by the time Derek finished talking, Stiles walked into the room with a plate full of bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast and a few smaller plates and utensils.

“You don’t have a family anymore?” Ben asked, looking stricken. 

“Not the family we were born into,” Laura answered as she made a plate of food and handed it to Ben, “but we built a new family.” 

Ben looked up at Stiles and he saw as something clicked behind the kid’s eyes. “You mean, like Stiles is part of your family now?”

Laura nodded. “Our pack has seven werewolves in it, but we also have a couple other supernatural people, and a bunch of humans too. Our whole pack is almost twenty people altogether.”

“Twenty?” Ben asked around a full mouth, his eyes wide.

“And they all know about my eyes,” Derek said softly. “And they love me anyway, so they’ll love you too.”

“But how do you know? We only just met last night.”

Laura reached out and covered Ben’s heart with her palm, “I know you were only changed a few weeks ago, but how do we feel, sitting here with you?”

Ben closed his eyes and breathed a few times. He opened them and smiled softly. “You feel safe. You feel…good.”

Laura nodded. “That’s what pack feels like. We can feel you, already.”

Stiles opened his two palms face up and held them in front of Ben. “Do you see these gold threads?” Stiles asked. He had been working on this particular spell for months now, but he could finally materialize the golden threads so that they were visible to the normal eye. Ben nodded. “These are my connections to each pack member.” Ben looked at some that skated off into the distance, traveling far north or east, but there were three that stayed in the room. 

Two of the golden threads, the thickest ones there were, connected straight to Derek and Laura. But the third one, tiny and thin, traveled straight into Ben’s chest. 

“That’s me?” He whispered as he poked at it. His fingers past straight through it without affecting the bond at all. 

“Yea, and feel this,” Stiles said with a wry grin as he poked at the bond. 

Ben wriggled as if he had been tickled. “How did you do that?”

“Magic,” Stiles said, his grin widening. “It shows that you’re starting to become part of our pack, and if you want to, your bond will get stronger until it’s like the rest.”

“I like that,” Ben said. “And you promise you can help me with my control? I don’t want to hurt anyone ever again.”

“I promise,” Laura said. “Between all of us, we’ll help you learn.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes... they've got a kid now...


	8. Settling In Pt. 2

“Hey Ben,” Stiles said as Derek and Laura cleared the lunch plates. “Do you want to come shopping with me? I was thinking about going to Target.”

Ben glanced between Stiles and the two in the kitchen. “Just the two of us?”

Stiles shrugged. “We’ll be fine, I promise, but if you’d be more comfortable with Derek or Laura, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind coming.”

Derek shot Ben a grin. “It’s up to you.”

“It’s really okay?” Ben asked, looking at Laura. 

She nodded before coming over to sit next to him. “Stiles will be able to help you with your control, and he can also make sure that you can’t hurt anybody. And I can make some phone calls while you’re out to make it official that you’re joining our pack.”

Ben nodded slowly before turning to Stiles, who was holding out Ben’s old clothes that had been through the washing machine. “I know these are worn out, but it’ll probably look better if you’re wearing stuff that fits you better.”

After Ben changed, he climbed into the car with Stiles and they drove to Target. 

“So should we pick up snacks and things while we’re here too?” Stiles asked, as he grabbed a shopping cart. 

“You know I don’t have any money,” Ben pointed out quietly as he trailed a step behind Stiles.

Stiles grinned, “But you heard Laura, right? You’re part of the Hale Pack now, which means that you do have money.” Ben’s eyes widened. “I’m going to let you in a secret that I’m still having some trouble accepting.” Stiles leaned over so he could dramatically whisper, “We’re rich now.”

Ben chuckled like Stiles had told a joke, but then stilled when he realized it wasn’t. “Wait, really?”

“I mean… we’re not buying airplanes or tropical islands rich,” Stiles said, laughing finally, “but we can buy you a whole wardrobe, a ton of snacks, and whatever else you want to bring home, and Laura and Derek won’t blink at the bill.”

“Can I get the new Nintendo?” Ben asked, and Stiles thought he looked like a tween for the first time that day, instead of a sad, lost puppy.

Stiles laughed and pulled him in for a one-armed hug. Ben hesitated for a second before wrapping his arms around Stiles too. 

“What games are we getting for this Nintendo? I’ll let you know, Derek is terrible at just about everything except Mario Kart.” Ben laughed as they finally entered the clothes section. Stiles pointed, “Do you want to grab just a bunch of regular t-shirts to start? And then a couple cooler ones?” Stiles turned around to see Ben staring a few feet away at a purple sequin shirt on the “girl’s” side. “Oh that looks cool,” Stiles commented, “you want one of those?”

“No,” Ben said quickly. “That’s a girl’s shirt.”

Stiles shrugged and walked over to it and pushed through a few until he found one that might be Ben’s size. “I like it, but if you don’t want it that’s fine too.”

Ben walked over and ran his fingers along the sequins, changing the pattern. “It’s cool how it changes.”

Stiles nodded. “If you want we can put it in the cart for now, and you can think about it some more.”

“Yea… that sounds good,” Ben said slowly, looking around cautiously. Stiles tried not to grin too widely as Ben walked back towards the “boy’s” clothing. The cart was moderately full of clothes and a couple pairs of shoes before they made their way toward the technology stuff at the back of the store. 

“Oh look,” Ben said after as they walked, “They’ve got those sequin shirts for grownups too!”

Stiles grinned as he pulled the cart to the side of the aisle. “Can I get a purple one too? Would we clash?” Ben grinned widely and shook his head. “And we can Derek a green one so it matches his eyes?” Stiles and Ben both had huge grins on their faces as they started pulling sequin shirts off the rack.

“What about this one? For Laura?” Ben held a red sparkly shirt out and Stiles threw his head back and laughed loudly. 

“I love it!” 

As they were waiting for one of the employees to get a Nintendo console for them, Laura texted. _“I got a cell phone for Ben. It’s got some child safety locks and stuff for safety, but I figured that’d make him happy. How’s it going?”_

_“Good. We picked out matching outfits for dinner tonight for all of us.”_

_“I’m not sure what that means… but I’m glad you’re having fun.”_

Stiles watched Ben with a small smile as he darted around and tried to decide what snacks to buy. “If you’re having trouble deciding,” Stiles said, “you can pick a couple different things.” He glanced down again and texted Laura, _“Laura, what are we going to do with papers for him?”_

 _“Chris is helping us handle that. He’s got some strange contacts_.”

Stiles sent a thumbs up emoji and slipped his phone back into his pocket. “So, do we need anything else?” He asked as Ben walked up to him with his arms full of snacks. 

A woman walking down the aisle laughed softly as Ben dropped everything into the cart. Stiles grinned at her and she said, “Don’t you boys have school today?”

Ben froze but Stiles placed a hand on his shoulder. “We had checkups this morning,” Stiles lied smoothly. “So we’re playing hookie for the rest of the day.”

She chuckled and glanced between them. “You’re brothers?”

Stiles and Ben exchanged glances and Stiles ruffled his hair, hoping he would lose the panicked expression. “Half brothers,” Stiles answered. 

The woman smiled and patted Stiles on the shoulder as she walked past. Ben let out a small growl and Stiles squeezed his shoulder, “Hush.” Ben cut the growl off but still looked angry as they walked away. 

“So what do you think?” Stiles asked after a minute to try to get the scowl off Ben’s face. “We could be half-brothers?”

“She bought it… so I guess,” Ben answered with a shrug. “But I don’t think we look like each other.”

“Yea, not really… but sometimes siblings don’t really look like each other, and if they’re half-siblings and they only have one parent in common, then they could look totally different.”

“What’s your last name?” Ben asked after a couple minutes.

“Stilinski.”

Ben stopped and stared at Stiles. “Your name is Stiles Stilinski? That’s ridiculous.”

“Nah, remember I told you Stiles is just a nickname?”

“Oh yea,” Ben said slowly. “I forgot.”

“You want to know my real name?” Stiles asked with a grin as they stood in line at one of the registers. Ben nodded so he pulled his license out and handed it over.

“Mice… Mikez… How do you make the ‘czysl’ sound? That’s too many consonants!”

Stiles laughed, “It’s pronounced Meech-ze-slav.” When Stiles went to put his license away, he pulled out the special debit card Laura had given him. “Here, would you hold this while I put everything on the conveyor belt?”

Ben nodded and studied the debit card while he stood beside the cart. “You and Derek are married?”

Stiles glanced up in confusion. “No, not yet. Why?”

Ben turned the card so Stiles could read it. “Mieczysław Stilinski-Hale,” he read to himself. “No shit. I guess I didn’t even look at it when Laura gave it to me.” 

They both fell silent as Stiles paid for everything and then Ben helped Stiles load everything into the car. He didn’t say anything again until Stiles had pulled out of the parking lot. “You and Derek are really going to get married?”

Stiles glanced over and grinned briefly. “I mean, we haven’t exactly talked about it, but we love each other and we’ve talked about how we want to be together forever… so we’ll probably figure it out after I finish college.”

*

The four of them ate dinner around the table that night, everyone wearing their new sparkly shirts. Ben was quiet, but kept smiling up at everyone every few minutes. 

Once everyone finished, Laura leaned back and shifted to face Ben. “I have to go back to Beacon Hills tomorrow.” Ben’s eyes widened, but Laura placed her hand over his and continued talking. “You have some choices though. You can come back to Beacon Hills with me. You’ll get to meet the rest of the pack, and you’ll have your own bedroom in the house.”

“Or you could stay here with us,” Derek offered. Ben looked to Stiles quickly and he nodded to confirm the offer.

“But what about school?” Ben asked. 

“It might be safest if you’re home schooled, at least for a little while,” Laura said. “But if you want to enroll in public school… or even in a private school, we can find one that would be good for you.”

“How would homeschooling work? Don’t Derek and Stiles have their own things to do?”

Laura nodded, “They do, but remember I was telling you about the rest of the pack? Cynthia, she’s Erica and James’ mom, she volunteered to move down here part time so she could be your teacher.”

“Where would she live?” Ben asked with wide eyes. 

“We’d get her an apartment, or maybe rent another house like this,” Laura said, before pursing her lips and looking at Derek and Stiles. “Or should we just get rid of this house and get a bigger one? I’m sure we could find a four or five bedroom house somewhere around here.”

“We have a one-year lease though,” Stiles pointed out.

“And we’ll have to talk to Lillian before moving someone else into her territory,” Derek pointed out. “We don’t want her thinking that we’re trying to slowly encroach on it.”

“I’ll handle Lillian,” Laura said with a small scowl. “But Ben, is that okay with you? We can figure out the details of Cynthia’s living situation and everything else if you’re okay with staying here and doing home school.”

Ben nodded, “I think I’d like that. But what about full moons?”

“It’s lucky the next one is on a Saturday night, so the three of you will drive up to Beacon Hills. All of the rest of the pack has their shifts under control, so if it’s too overwhelming, it’ll just be the four, or five, if you’re okay with Cynthia being there too, of us together.”

Ben nodded a few more times. “I think that’ll work.”

*

Stiles grinned at Ben across the table as he ate his breakfast. Ben had been with them for almost a week now, and he was impressed how easily the three of them had fallen into a routine. Cynthia came over each morning a little after eight and she usually had just enough time to hug Derek before he left for work. Stiles hung out with them for another half hour or so before he had to head to campus. Ben and Cynthia had spent the whole week doing some homeschooling assessments and things to figure out what Ben knew and what he still needed to learn. 

Cynthia’s transition to living in Palo Alto had been as smooth as possible. She was planning to retire in a few months, but in order to get her full pension, she apparently couldn’t stop working yet, but her job had been really accommodating when she explained that she had a sick relative that she needed to care for, so they were letting her work from home two days a week as long as she came to the office one day a week. 

Because Stiles only had one class on Fridays, Cynthia elected to work in Beacon Hills each Friday, that way she could spend the whole weekend with Marco and the rest of the pack, before driving back on Sundays. 

“Alright,” Stiles said finally, shaking himself out of his thoughts, “My class is only two hours long. Your control has been fantastic all week long, but if you want I can ward the whole house so you can’t get out and no one can get it. And you can always call or text me if you need me to drop the ward or anything like that.”

Ben grimaced down at his cereal. “I think it’s best if you lock me in. I won’t do anything stupid, but…”

Stiles patted Ben’s shoulder as he finally rose from the table. “I know. We’ll just stay on the safe side until you have faith in yourself.” Stiles grinned after he put his bowl in the sink, “Want me to bring tacos home for lunch?”

*

“Alright, I read for an hour,” Ben said as he closed his book halfway through Friday afternoon. “And I did some of those math worksheets Cynthia left for me too.”

Stiles yawned as he rose from the couch where he had been reading and highlighting one of the articles he had to read. “Let’s go for a walk or something. You’ve been cooped up in this house all week, haven’t you?” Ben’s eyes darted around and Stiles held his hand out and waited until Ben put one of his hands in Stiles’ bigger ones. “I’ve got you, remember? 

Ben nodded finally and went to find one of his new pairs of shoes. 

As Stiles was standing on the front porch, he got a text from Isaac, _“Allison had to bail last minute, but I’ll be leaving in 5 minutes. How’s Ben?”_

 _“He’s good_ ,” Stiles texted back with a grin while Ben stepped onto the porch. _“We’re going for a walk. I might surprise him with ice cream_.”

Stiles slipped his phone away and turned to Ben, “So are you ready to meet Isaac?”

Ben grinned shyly. “Cynthia’s been telling me all about the pack all week. Is Isaac really the tallest?”

Stiles laughed loudly, attracting the attention of a few people on the block, who he waved at. “That’s your biggest question? Well, yea, Isaac is the tallest in the pack. He’s 6 foot two, so he’s four inches taller than me.”

Ben nodded, “And he was the first one Laura bit, right?” Stiles nodded. “Is he your best friend?”

“Well, besides Derek and Scott, yea.”

“Who’s Scott?”

Stiles blinked a few times. Had he not mentioned Scott in the past week? Had Cynthia not mentioned Scott? “He’s been my best bud since kindergarten. Well, he was still in pre-k, but our moms became friends too, so we’ve been close ever since. He’s going to college in Virginia.”

“Wow,” Ben said softly. 

“Yea, but we’ll get to see him at Thanksgiving,” Stiles said with a wide grin. “Him and the rest of the pack that went off to college. Luckily you’ll know most of the rest of the pack before then, since it’s two full moons away.” Ben smiled a little and Stiles elbowed him gently, “Oh would you look at that… we’ve stumbled our way upon an ice cream shop. Would you happen to be in the mood for some ice cream?”

Ben grinned widely as they opened the door, but his grin dropped off his face when they stepped in. Stiles’ hand shot to his shoulder and he squeezed him tight as they continued to the counter. 

“Hey Sasha,” Stiles said with a wry grin. “I didn’t realize you work here too.”

She grinned awkwardly, “The pack owns a bunch of different businesses in the area and I’m trying to save up for college.”

“Sasha, this is Ben. Ben, Sasha is actually the first person I met from Lillian’s pack.”

“Yea,” Sasha laughed, “he walked into the cafe, ordered an iced coffee, and straight-up asked to see my Alpha.”

Ben looked over his shoulder at the only two people in the shop, two teenagers who might have been Sasha’s friends. “Shouldn’t we be… not talking about this?”

Sasha cocked her head to the side in confusion and Stiles chuckled, “Ben, smell them.”

Ben’s eyes widened, “They’re human… but they smell like us.”

“Most packs have human members,” Stiles pointed out. “They’re probably related to wolves, or maybe friends, like Scott is human, and he’s pack just because he’s been my friend forever.”

Ben nodded slowly. “Ennis said my family couldn’t be part of the pack… and I had to choose.”

Stiles grabbed Ben and pulled him into a hug, which he immediately returned. He looked at Sasha over Ben’s head and saw her look of horror which he knew he was reflecting. Everything that Ben said about Ennis made him want to find the man and tear every bone out of his body. After Sasha served Stiles and Ben ice cream, she introduced them to her cousin and her best friend. “They hang out with me when I work here,” she explained. “We do homework together or study when it isn’t too busy.”

“That’s really cool,” Ben marveled. 

They stayed and chatted for almost an hour, until Derek texted to ask where they were. 

“Oh, Derek’s home,” Stiles said to Ben, “you ready to head home?”

He nodded. “Can we maybe come back some time?” 

“Sure thing,” Sasha answered. “I work here Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoons.” Sasha glanced up at Stiles as she continued, “If you want to bring homework or something, you could work with us too.”

Ben looked at Stiles, who nodded.

“Alright, I’ll try next week,” Ben promised with a grin.

They walked home together and Ben was silent the whole time, but when they turned onto their block, he looked up at Stiles, “Your dad is human too, right? And Cynthia’s husband?” Stiles nodded. “I should have realized,” Ben mused. “You guys didn’t say so, but Laura did say that less than half of the pack were actually werewolves… so it makes sense that the rest of the people are humans.” Ben shook his head, “Ennis really lied nonstop, didn’t he?”

“It sounds like it, buddy,” Stiles responded sadly. 

Derek was waiting for them near the front door and he pulled them both in for hugs as soon as they were within reach. After just a second he pulled back, “You were near Lillian’s pack?”

“Remember Sasha? The girl who I scared at the cafe? She works at that ice cream shop a couple blocks away too.”

“She was really cool,” Ben said. “She hangs out there with a couple of her friends and they do their homework sometimes. They invited me to do homework with them next week!”

Derek grinned slowly, looking up at Stiles for confirmation. “Sasha’s the only wolf, but her friends are pack.”

Derek squeezed Ben again. “So we’ve got an hour or so before Isaac gets here. Should we finish watching Hamilton?”

Ben ran into the living room and jumped over the couch so he could sprawl across it, “Only if Stiles promises not to sing.”

Stiles fake gasped as he ran after Ben, “I’ll have you know I’m great at singing!” 

Ben threw a pillow at Stiles, who threw it back, but then they all settled down. When Isaac parked outside an hour later, Stiles paused the tv and hurried outside to greet him. Isaac pulled him in for a tight hug, “You smell like other wolves,” he murmured angrily into Stiles’ hair. 

“Most of it is probably Ben, but we did see a couple members of Lillian’s pack today too,” Stiles said with a laugh. “He’s excited about meeting you, by the way.”

“Yea?” Isaac said, suddenly looking nervous. 

“I told him you’re one of my best friends,” Stiles said with a small grin. 

Isaac chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of Stiles’ head. “You’re so sentimental. Let’s go.” 

When they stepped back inside, Derek and Ben were standing together. Isaac hesitated a second inside the door, but then dropped to his knees so he was about Ben’s height. “Hey Ben,” he said softly. 

“Cynthia said that Laura collects sad puppies,” Ben said just as softly. Derek and Stiles exchanged surprised looks over their heads, but Ben continued. “She said you’re a sad puppy, kind of like me.”

Isaac let out a choked laugh before holding his arms open. “I was a sad puppy. I’m a lot happier these days though.” Ben grinned slightly before stepping forward to put his arms around Isaac. They hesitantly smelled each other before relaxing into the hug.

“You smell like Stiles,” Ben laughed out after a minute. 

“That was kind of the plan,” Stiles chuckled.

“So,” Isaac said, pulling back slightly. “Has Ben been to the taco truck rodeo yet?”

“No, but I was thinking about suggesting it,” Stiles said with a grin. “Ben how do you feel about going someplace with like ten different taco trucks?”

“Let’s go!” Ben said, grinning widely, so the four of them climbed into the car and drove the few minutes away. When they got there, Ben stayed close to Derek. “There’s a lot of people here,” he whispered. 

“There are,” Derek agreed. “But we’re outside, so it shouldn’t be too stifling, and you’ve got the three of us, so you don’t have to worry at all.”

They ended up buying a ridiculous amount of tacos and choosing one of the tables farthest away from everyone else to sit, and Isaac regaled them with funny stories about life in Beacon Hills. 

When they got back to the house, Ben looked between the three men and squinted at Isaac. “Are you going to sleep here like Laura did, or go stay at Cynthia’s apartment?”

Isaac froze and looked between Derek and Stiles. “He’s going to sleep here like Laura did,” Derek answered simply. 

“But didn’t they date?” Ben asked, pointing between Stiles and Isaac. 

“How much has Cynthia told you this week?” Stiles laughed.

Ben grinned guiltily. “The tests we took this week were pretty easy, and I asked a lot of questions.”

“Yes, we used to date,” Stiles answered, still laughing. “But that was years ago, and we really only dated for a few weeks.”

“Plus, Isaac is basically like my brother,” Derek said.

“Is it normal for werewolves to share beds?” Ben asked curiously. 

Derek shrugged. “I grew up with my family, and almost everyone was a werewolf, and we would sleep together all the time. Like, if someone had a nightmare we’d climb in bed with someone else. And when family came to visit, we’d just bunk together to make space. And then after the fire, Laura and I slept together every night for months. It’s kind of a comfort thing,” he shrugged. 

Ben nodded, “That makes sense.”

Derek turned to Isaac and realized that he was just staring at him. “What?” 

Isaac just shook his head and wrapped his arms around Derek. His look of surprise softened into a small smile as Isaac spoke, “You never said I was like a brother. I mean, I know we both feel it… but you’ve never said it.”

Derek squeezed Isaac tightly, “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I know we’ve both lost brothers, and it’s not the same, but…”

Isaac nodded, “I know. You’re right. But we’re still brothers.”

Stiles grinned and wrapped an arm around Ben’s shoulders as they watched Derek and Isaac hold each other.


	9. Developing Bonds

Ben hugged Isaac tightly before he left at the end of the weekend. “I’ll see you in two weeks, right? At the full moon?” Isaac nodded several times, tears glistening in his eyes. 

Stiles stepped up behind Isaac and slipped his arms around Isaac’s chest. “Two weeks isn’t so bad,” he murmured as Derek wrapped his arms around the three of them from the side. 

“Guys you’re going to make me want to move down here,” Isaac said with a soft sob. 

“You’re always welcome,” Derek murmured.

“I know,” Isaac said, pressing kisses to everyone’s hair, even though he had to bend almost double to get to Ben. “Maybe I’ll tag a ride down next weekend too, but I might stay at Cynthia’s, if Allison is able to come.”

“That’s fine,” Derek said. “Whatever works.”

Derek, Stiles, and Ben watched as Isaac drove away, and then Derek turned to Ben and asked, “So… you ready to start the next step in your training?”

Ben’s eyes widened, “What?”

“You’ve done so amazing this week,” Derek explained. “You haven’t lost control once. So now we need to practice regaining control.”

“And the best way to do that,” Stiles said with a grin as he started throwing wards up around the house, “is to lose it in a controlled environment.”

Derek walked into the living room and started pushing furniture out of the way. When there was a large open space in the middle he turned back and looked at Ben. “We’re going to play-fight, or wrestle, just enough until you start to feel your control slipping, and then we’ll stop so you can practice getting control again.”

Stiles walked around the inside of the room, placing wards along the inside of the windows and over the TV. 

“But… what if I can’t get control again?” Ben asked quietly.

Stiles grinned and pointed. “Look. I warded everything, so you won’t be able to break anything, besides the couch or the pillows, but we can replace those no problem.”

“Plus, Ben, you can do this,” Derek reassured. “And even if you struggle and go into the full beta shift, we’ll be here to help you come back from it.”

“You’re sure?” Ben asked. 

Derek nodded and came over to put an arm around Ben’s shoulders, “The wolf is part of you,” he said softly. “I know that it can be scary to feel like you’re letting go, but it can also be exhilarating. It can be a gift, if you learn to trust it.”

“Okay, but shouldn’t… Stiles shouldn’t you put a ward around yourself or something? What if I try to hurt you?”

Stiles came over and kneeled in front of Ben, putting his hands on Ben’s shoulders, “I promise I won’t let you hurt me, but also, I’m going to help with your training too.”

“But your ribs!”

Stiles laughed and stood back up before walking to the far side of the room, “So come at me. Try to take me down.”

Ben glanced at Derek who grinned and nodded. Ben grinned slightly and ran at Stiles, who threw up a ward at the last second to deflect Ben to the side. He laughed as he crashed into the couch, before jumping back up. He climbed on the couch and jumped at Stiles this time. Stiles laughed and caught at Ben with his spark, levitating him above him. 

“You good?” Stiles asked and Ben grinned and nodded. Then Stiles tossed Ben at Derek. 

Derek and Ben ended up rolling around on the ground with Ben trying to climb on top of Derek, who eventually pinned the kid to the ground. As soon as Derek pinned him, he pulled back so Ben could climb up, but instead Ben’s eyes glowed blue and he launched himself at Derek from his lying position. 

Derek caught at Ben’s clawed hands as they fell backwards and held Ben still as he sat on Derek’s chest. 

“Ben, you’re doing great,” Derek said calmly. “Take a deep breath.” Ben growled but took a deep shuddering breath in before huffing one out. “Good. Another.”

After a few minutes of coaching Ben through breathing, his eyes returned to their dark brown color and he basically collapsed against Derek’s chest. 

“I’m sorry,” he gasped out as Derek wrapped his arms around Ben. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“Ben, don’t apologize,” Derek said, sitting up and bringing Ben with him. “That was perfect.”

“You did great,” Stiles said as he sat next to them and rubbed Ben’s back. “That was exactly what you were supposed to do.”

“But… but I wanted to hurt you,” Ben whined. 

“But you didn’t,” Derek said with a small grin. “And it only took you a little while to get yourself under control again. That was great.”

Ben took a few more deep breaths before he finally looked up. “It was?”

“Yea,” Derek nodded. “How do you feel about doing it again?”

Ben glanced at Stiles, “Can you throw me some more?”

Stiles laughed and pulled Ben towards him into a hug, “Sure thing, bud.”

After an hour of wrestling that consisted mostly of laughing, and Ben wolfing out a few times, Derek finally clapped his hands and said, “I think that’s good for tonight. Ben how do you feel?”

Ben growled and his eyes turned blue, before the faded back to brown again. “I think I’ve got it!”

Derek picked him up and tossed him in the air before catching him again, “That was awesome!”

Stiles wrapped his arms around them both, “Ben you’re doing so fantastic!”

Ben’s grin faded a little, “Is control really so easy? I never felt this confident back home.”

“Well, it’s almost the New Moon,” Derek pointed out as he lowered Ben to the ground. “That means your wolf has less sway over you, so it makes it easier to control it. If we keep training, by the time it’s the full moon you should have a lot more control than you’ve ever felt.”

Ben nodded. “Can we watch some Avatar now?”

“Yea, help me move the furniture,” Derek said with a grin. 

“I’ll make popcorn,” Stiles volunteered. 

*

“Hey, Sumaya invited us over for dinner on Wednesday,” Derek said the next day while they were all eating dinner. 

“Oh that’ll be fun,” Stiles said. “Sumaya and Frankie have a nine-year-old daughter, so you guys could play.”

“Plus, Sumaya is a Spark like Stiles, and they all know about werewolves,” Derek added.

“So I don’t have to worry about losing control or anything?”

“Well, you should try not to,” Stiles reminded with a chuckle, “but yea, it’ll be fine if you do. I’ll be there the whole time you guys are playing.”

“Thanks,” Ben said with a small smile. 

While they were cleaning the plates off after dinner, Stiles’ phone rang. “Oh it’s Lydia!” he said with a grin while accepting the call, “Hello lovely.”

She grinned at the camera, even though Stiles could still see how tired she was. “Hello Stiles. Did I hear correctly that you adopted a child?”

Stiles laughed and turned the phone, “Ben, would you come say hi to my friend Lydia?”

“She’s the banshee?” Ben asked as he came closer. 

Stiles nodded, “Cynthia’s been telling him all about the pack,” Stiles explained. 

Ben leaned close to Stiles’ ear and whispered, “She’s pretty.”

Stiles grinned, “Yes she is.” He turned back to her, “What’s up, Lydia? Did you just call so you could meet Ben, or was there something else?”

“I’m looking at buying tickets home for Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Lydia said. “Is there any protocol that Danny and I have to follow? I’ve seen Vernon’s pack a couple times, but Danny spends almost every day with his boyfriend.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Stiles explained as he sat on the couch. “Laura’s spoken to Vernon so you both are fully cleared to travel between both territories.”

“Hmm,” Lydia said.

“And if you have free time, Laura would love to officially meet you,” Stiles offered. 

“I’d like that,” Lydia responded. “I feel obliged to her, and I want to thank her to her face.” Lydia pursed her lips again before continuing, “Jackson is going to be home over Thanksgiving break too.”

Stiles waited a few seconds of awkward silence before asking, “Have you or Danny told him anything yet?”

She shook her head, “But we want to. I think it would be best if we did it while we’re all home, so you can be there too.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Lydia continued talking, seeing his hesitation, “You have a few weeks to think about it, and talk about it with Laura, if you need to, but I think it’s the right thing to do. You got to know him better in the last year. He’s only a jackass to outsiders. You know once he lets people in, he’s fiercely loyal and protective. Plus, he’s going to be hurt if we keep this from him for too much longer.”

Stiles nodded, “I think you’re right. I’ll talk to Laura about it, but I think she’ll agree.”

Lydia nodded before raising her voice a little, “Hi Derek!”

He chuckled and walked to the couch, leaning over so he was in view of Stiles’ camera, “Hi Lydia.”

“Are you taking care of Stiles?”

“I am,” he replied solemnly, “and he’s taking care of me too.”

“And Ben!” Stiles said with a grin. “We’re all taking care of each other, Lydia.”

She waved slightly, “That all sounds adorable. It was nice to meet you Ben,” she said, raising her voice again since she couldn’t see him. 

“You too, Lydia!” Ben shouted as he jumped onto the couch beside Stiles. “I like your hair.”

She laughed as she touched her hair, “Thanks, sweetheart.”

*

Sumaya greeted them at the front door again and ushered them into the backyard just like the last time they had come over. 

“Jasmine, sweetheart, come meet Ben,” she called. Jasmine climbed out of the jungle gym and trotted over to stand next to Sumaya.

“Wow, you’re tall,” Ben said, staring at Jasmine, who was about the same height as him. 

Jasmine shrugged, “My moms said I had a growth spurt over the summer.”

Ben frowned a little before whispering, “I’ve never met anyone with two moms before.” Sumaya and Stiles exchanged broad grins over the kids’ heads. 

Jasmine grinned widely. “It’s awesome. And I’ve never met a werewolf who was adopted by two dads before.”

Ben laughed. “I don’t know if Stiles and Derek are my dads… they’re kind of more like big brothers.”

Jasmine shrugged. “That’s cool anyway.”

“Alright, you kiddos want to go play?” Sumaya suggested. The kids both nodded and ran back to the jungle gym. 

“You want to stay out here?” Sumaya asked Stiles softly. He nodded so she pulled out a chair and sat with him. 

Jasmine laughed loudly at whatever Ben had said, and Sumaya and Stiles listened as she responded, “Well, my Mommy, that’s Frankie, the red-headed one, she had a doctor put me inside her belly, and then she gave birth to me.”

“Oh that makes sense, I guess,” Ben said. 

“What about you?” Jasmine asked. “You kind of look like my friend Ji-Hoon, but tanner.”

“Oh that’s easy,” Ben answered. “My mom was Korean and my dad was from Ecuador.”

“Oh that’s cool,” Jasmine responded, before glancing back at Sumaya. “Hey you want to race to the top of the rock wall?”

Ben grinned and jumped from the ground to the top of the wall. Jasmine laughed and stomped her foot. “No cheating!”

Ben jumped to the ground again, “Alright, sorry, I’ll go normal speed.”

“And then after we can ask Stiles to make his magic ball so we can play catch?” 

Ben turned to look at Stiles, “You have a magic ball?”

Stiles laughed, “Climb the wall and then I’ll show you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting near the end of this arc... I love my sweet boy Ben <3 <3
> 
> Also this might end up being a trilogy because I have a whole bunch more I want to write with this AU.


	10. Bone to Pick

“Can Friday afternoon study sessions at the ice cream parlor become, like, our thing?” Ben asked as they walked to the ice cream shop with their backpacks slung over their shoulders.

“Sure,” Stiles agreed as he adjusted his backpack and then rubbed at his chest. He pulled his phone out and texted the Derek and Laura group text, _“Getting ice cream with Ben. Feeling… weird. Not bad… but tense/weird.”_

They both responded instantly. _“Are you okay??”_ Derek texted while Laura wrote, _“Let me know if anything happens_.”

 _“Fine. I haven’t felt like this before. I don’t know how to describe it_.”

Ben was bouncing on his heels when they walked in and went straight over to the table to say hi. Sasha got up after a couple minutes to get their ice cream, but then joined them again. 

“What are you guys working on?” Stiles asked as he pulled out another one of his academic articles. 

“An essay for my freshmen seminar class,” the boy named Sam answered.

“And I’m doing my assignment for Global History,” the girl, Cara, answered. 

“Sam’s in 9th grade, Cara’s in 10th, and I’m in 11th,” Sasha explained. “What about you guys?”

“I’m in 7th,” Ben said, “but I’m home schooling for the rest of the year.”

Sasha nodded, “I was home schooled until 4th grade,” Sasha admitted. “And there are a couple other kids in the pack who are still being home schooled. I think it’s pretty common for us.”

The group turned to Stiles, who grinned wryly as he responded, “I am simultaneously a freshmen and a junior at Stanford.” He gave a small bow and laughed, “I was held back in elementary, when my mom died, so I took every AP class I could to make sure that I had a bunch of college credits saved up, so that I could graduate the year I was supposed to.”

“You’re going to try to graduate Stanford early?” Cara asked. 

Stiles grinned and nodded, before his head shot towards the door the second before it flung open. A tall, bald Alpha stepped into the shop, flanked by two betas. Stiles’ hand flew out to Ben and he threw a protective ward around their table instantly. 

The Alpha turned toward them and growled, “There he fucking is.”

“Sasha call Lillian right now,” Stiles barked as he pulled his phone out and tossed it to Cara. “Call Derek.”

“Hand him over,” Ennis growled, pointing at Ben. 

“Stay inside the ward,” Stiles warned, giving Ben one last squeeze before stepping through through the ward. “I’ve got a bone to pick with you,” he growled at Ennis. 

“Who the fuck are you?”

Stiles grinned widely, and one of the betas behind Ennis paused at his expression. He knew there was nothing kind in it. He unzipped his hoodie and dropped it to the ground, knowing that his lightning scar was on full display now as it twisted its way up his arm to disappear underneath his t-shirt. 

“I’m the Emissary for the Hale Pack of Beacon Hills,” Stiles said formally. “And Ben is ours now. This is the only warning I’m giving you. Leave instantly and I might let you go.”

“You?” Ennis laughed out. “You’re an Emissary? And what could you do to stop me? Druids don't fight.”

Stiles threw out one hand wide, casting first a silence ward, then a protective ward around the outside of the parlor, and finally an illusion to make the shop look closed. He didn’t want to attract too much attention, but Ennis wasn’t leaving until he was done with him. 

Stiles glanced back at Ben and the three from Lillian’s pack. Cara and Sasha both gave him small thumbs up, but Ben was staring at him with unmasked terror in his eyes. 

In the second Stiles’ attention was distracted, Ennis leapt at Stiles, who threw his hand up and caught the Alpha in mid-air, levitating him a few feet in the air. 

“I’m not a Druid,” Stiles said quietly as he slammed Ennis to the floor, using his magic to keep him pinned. He threw out his other hand and the two betas who had frozen at the sight of their Alpha floating in the air flew against the wall. Stiles nodded, satisfied at the thump and corresponding crumple that they were both out of the fight for at least a few minutes. Stiles released the pressure on Ennis and watched as the man climbed to his feet. He wiped at his nose and seemed surprised to see blood drip out of it. He glanced at where his betas lay on the floor. 

“You’re a Spark?”

Stiles bared his teeth, no semblance of a smile anymore. 

“I’ll leave. I can see when I’m out of my weight class.”

Stiles laughed, “That boat already sailed, asshole. Can I tell you how many times I’ve daydreamed about fucking destroying you over the past few years? Although the daydreams have gotten a lot more graphic in the past week or so.”

“Years?” Ben and Ennis asked simultaneously. 

“Ben, you wanna know why Derek’s eyes are blue?” Stiles asked, pointing at Ennis. “It’s his fault.”

“What?” Ennis asked. “Derek who?” Then his eyes widened as he took a step to his right, away from Ben’s table, “Oh fuck. You said the Hale Pack?”

“Hmmm,” Stiles grunted. 

“You’re a Spark, and you're the Emissary for the Hale Pack? And Derek is still alive?”

“Hmmm.”

“Are you planning to kill me?” Ennis asked quietly as he took another step to the side.

Stiles squinted before glancing back at Ben. “It’s not up to me,” he said finally. 

“Then what are we doing?”

“We’re waiting,” Stiles said simply, watching as Ennis took another step. He was almost even with Stiles now, just on the far side of the parlor. Stiles assumed that there was a backdoor to the shop, and Ennis was probably trying to make a run for that. Too bad that door was warded also.

Ennis glanced at the front of the store. 

“Ben, Sasha, did a couple cars just speed up and park quickly?” Stiles asked idly, not taking his eyes off Ennis. 

“Yup,” Sasha replied. 

Stiles nodded and pursed his lips. “That would be the cavalry, then.”

Ennis braced his hands on the ice cream counter to jump over it, and Stiles reached out his hand again and grabbed Ennis with his spark, slammed him into the ground again before levitating him until his feet were several feet off the ground. 

“Do you know that I could break every bone in your body right now?” Stiles asked, watching as fresh blood dropped out of Ennis’ nose. He waved his hand toward the front of the shop and dropped the protective ward on the door. He kept the illusion and the silence wards up, but he knew that the werewolves would trust their senses enough to come in. "I know that the more severe your injuries are, the longer it takes to heal, because you're body is multitasking and all, but how long do you think it would take you to heal every bone in your body?"

Ennis let out a choking sound as Lillian stepped through the front door, followed closely by Derek and Meredith. 

“Don’t kill him,” Lillian ordered. 

Stiles sighed and released the pressure on Ennis’ throat. “I wasn’t going to,” Stiles commented. “I was just making a point.” Derek's eyes shot between Ennis, bleeding and floating in the air, Stiles standing in the center of everything, and Ben at a table with three other teenagers.

Meredith rushed over to the kids at the table but paused when she realized they were warded too.

“Oh, sorry,” Stiles said, waving a hand at the table and dropping the ward. 

Sasha jumped up and hugged Meredith. “Stiles protected us,” she whispered. 

“Derek,” Ben whispered, and Derek rushed to his side. “Was Ennis really the one who made your eyes turn blue? He was the one you trusted?”

Derek glanced at Stiles again, who was still glaring at Ennis. “Yea, he was.”

Lillian whistled. “I’m impressed you held back,” she said to Stiles. 

“What’s the policy at this point?” Stiles asked. “Because I honestly haven’t ruled out just ending him, but I know since we’re on your territory you get to make the call.”

Lillian studied him. “If I say we let him go, will you listen to me?”

Stiles turned to return her stare. 

“I'm not asking that,” she said softly, maintaining eye contact. “I just wanted to know what you would do.”

Stiles grinned and looked back at Ennis, “Well then luckily we don’t need to find out.”

“We’ll call a council of Alphas," Lillian said, relief clear in her voice. "There are six within an hour’s drive. And Laura should come too, since this involves Ben. We’ll decide what to do with Ennis.”

“But biting minors against their will without extenuating circumstances is cause for execution,” Meredith added. 

“Good,” Stiles growled out. 

*

Four hours later, Stiles was sitting on a stool in Lillian’s kitchen. All of the Alphas had gathered, and they each brought at least one or two betas as well as their Emissaries. Lillian had a big house, but it was feeling a little crowded with almost thirty people in the kitchen, dining room, and living room, particularly since most of the packs weren’t mingling at all. Laura was the last to arrive since she was coming the farthest. 

“You didn’t bring anyone?” One of the local Alphas, George, asked as she walked in the door.

Laura shrugged and pointed. “My Second and my Emissary are already here.”

They all turned to look at Derek and Stiles again, even though most of them had ignored them so far. “They’re yours?” George asked Laura. “What were they doing here already?”

“Stiles, my Emissary, goes to Stanford,” Laura said, “And Derek is my brother. He got a teaching job down here so they could be together.”

“You let your Second and your Emissary live outside your territory?” Another Alpha asked incredulously. 

Laura shrugged as she made her way through the crowd of werewolves to hug Stiles, Derek, and Ben. She kept one arm around Ben when she turned back to the Alpha who had questioned her. “It’s not a matter of letting them… Stiles was accepted to Stanford. I wasn’t going to stop him from going to his dream school.”

“But… but aren’t you worried that one of us would try to poach them?”

Lillian laughed, “I tried. Didn’t work.”

The whole gathering turned to look at Lillian. “You tried to poach them, and you’re all still working together?”

Laura laughed, “Folks. Derek is my brother, and Stiles is his mate. The three of us have been together for years now, and we’ve rebuilt the Hale pack together. We couldn’t have done any of this without Stiles, but also, I’ve never met someone who adapted to our way of life better, let alone someone who is more loyal. I’d sooner worry about the world spinning in reverse before I’d worry about either of them choosing to leave the pack.”

A few of the Alphas murmured in surprise, but nobody questioned Laura further. 

“Should we get started?” Lillian asked after a moment. 

“Where is Ennis?” Laura asked Stiles, “I’d like to speak with him too.”

“Yea, where is he?” George inquired. “I can smell that he’s been here.”

Stiles grinned and waved a hand at an unoccupied corner, wiping away the invisibility spell he had placed on Ennis. A few of the betas and Emissaries cursed or shouted in surprise, but the Alphas all managed to hold their composure. Ennis glared at everyone and was probably growling, but Stiles had kept the silence ward around him. Nobody had tried to clean the blood off his face yet either.

“He’s been here the whole time?” George asked mildly, although the whites around his eyes showed that he was trying to mask his own feelings of surprise.

“I’m not letting him out of my sight,” Stiles replied. “Not after what he’s done.”

“Allegedly,” another Alpha said. 

Stiles waved again and Ennis’ two betas appeared next to him. “They’ll corroborate. Ennis has been biting children and adolescents to build his pack. And based on Derek’s experience, it would seem that Ennis has been doing that for almost ten years at least.”

George hesitated before moving toward Ennis, “Is this true?” Ennis’ lips started moving, but no sounds escaped Stiles’ ward. George turned back toward Stiles, “Would you?”

Stiles grinned wryly and waved his hand at Ennis, the sounds of his growling instantly filling the room. A few of the closest betas and emissaries cringed and stepped away from Ennis. 

Lillian stepped in front of Ennis. “This Alpha trespassed on my territory and tried to attack people who are under my protection. Because of these reasons, it is within my authority to summon this conference. Does anyone take issue with this right?” She waited a few seconds before continuing. “Allegations have been made against Alpha Ennis Wade that are quite serious. Allegations that, if proven true, warrant execution. Before we make a decision, Alpha Laura Hale has requested to speak. Two members of her pack have been particularly affected by Alpha Ennis. Does anyone take issue with her request?” Lillian waited a few more seconds before stepping to the side so Laura could take her spot. 

“Nine years ago,” Laura started, “My mother, Alpha Talia Hale, hosted a conference of Alphas." A few of the people in the room nodded. They might not have been there, but they knew of it. “Ennis bit my brother’s girlfriend at the time, and abandoned them once he realized the bite wasn’t taking, leaving my fifteen year old brother with the responsibility of watching as his girlfriend died a slow and painful death.” Laura looked sadly at Derek. “Ennis lied to and manipulated my brother. Not only that, though, but he bit this girl without her knowledge or consent. He didn’t speak to her or her family first. He didn’t speak to my mother, whose territory they were in. He simply attacked an underage girl, and then left her for dead when he realized things weren’t going his way.”

“I confirm this account,” Derek said softly. Ben reached over and squeezed Derek’s hand. 

George stepped forward, “Ennis do you refute this account?”

Ennis growled deeply again. “She left out the part where her Uncle Peter was the one who put the idea in my head.”

Laura shrugged. “Just because he had a bad idea didn’t mean you needed to go through with it.”

“If Peter Hale was involved in these allegations, he should be brought forward for justice then too,” George admitted. 

“Peter is dead,” Laura said shortly. 

“I heard he survived the fire, though,” George protested. 

“Peter is dead, now,” Laura amended. Several people exchanged glances and murmurs. “He challenged me for my Alpha power,” Laura explained. “And attacked a human.”

There was a moment of silence following Laura’s statements. Everyone in the room understood what happened when someone challenged an Alpha and failed. Everyone also understood what needed to happen to a werewolf who was so out of control that they attacked a human. 

George nodded finally. “Ennis, do you have any defense other than Peter Hale gave you the idea?”

Ennis growled again, but shook his head shortly. 

Derek let out a short breath and Ben and Stiles both squeezed his arm again. 

“And then there’s the matter of the newest member of our pack,” Laura said, looking at Ben, who shrank into Derek’s side as everyone turned to look at him. “As you can all see, he’s a child. Ennis bit him two months ago.” Everyone’s attention shot to Ennis. George was scowling, and his expression deepened as Laura continued speaking. “Ben didn’t have any health issues and he lived in a loving and supportive home.”

“Lived?” A female Alpha who hadn’t spoken yet asked. 

Laura nodded. “Based on what Ben has told us, Ennis gave him little to no training after the bite took, told Ben he’d have to choose between the pack and his family, because packs couldn’t have human members, and then let Ben spend his first full moon with his family with no protection or guidance.”

“Shit,” George murmured. 

“The official report is that there was an animal attack,” Laura concluded sadly. “The police reported three bodies, and concluded that Ben’s body was… consumed by the animal.”

“Ben showed up in my territory a month later, at the next full moon,” Lillian continued. “He was completely feral at the time, but Stiles and Derek were able to help him regain his control. He has been living with them ever since.” Lillian gestured at Meredith, “My Second has been trying to contact Ennis’ pack the whole time, although he didn’t respond once, until he showed up earlier today.” Lillian took a deep breath. “He kicked down the door of one of the pack businesses, which at the time was occupied by three teenagers from our pack, as well as Ben and Stiles. If it hadn’t been for Stiles… I don’t know what he would have done to our kids, let alone to Ben. Also he would have almost definitely garnered attention, since the business is on a busy street.”

“Ennis,” Laura said, turning toward him, “do you refute this account?”

“He wasn’t supposed to kill his family,” he growled. “It was a test. He failed.”

“A test?” Lillian protested. “He’s eleven!”

“I only accept the strongest in my pack,” Ennis growled. “He would have been culled if he hadn’t run away.”

“Maybe that is why he ran away,” George observed.

Lillian turned toward Stiles, “Normally at this point we would dismiss everyone except the Alphas so we can discuss. Will he stay restrained if you leave?”

Stiles chuckled humorlessly. “Yes.”

She nodded and turned to the rest of the people. “I do not believe we will need to talk long. The rest of you will stay in the area?” There were nods from around the room as most of the people started moving toward the front door. Lillian turned back toward Derek and Stiles, “Sasha and some of her friends are in the house across the street, if you’d like to spend some time with them.”

They nodded and Derek exchanged tired grins with Laura before he followed Stiles and Ben out of the house. 

Sasha was so excited to introduce them to the teenage members of her pack. Ben stayed close to Derek for the first fifteen minutes or so, until Sasha showed them the giant trampoline in the basement. 

Stiles and Derek dropped onto a couch near the trampoline and watched as the kids competed to see who could jump the highest. 

“How are you feeling?” Derek asked softly as he pulled Stiles to nestle against him. 

“Fine,” Stiles said with a sigh. “But I should be asking how you’re doing.”

Derek chuckled as he rubbed his nose along Stiles’ hair. “I’m glad Laura is here.”

“Derek, I wanted to kill him,” Stiles whispered. “I mean, I wanted to kill those hunters after they hurt everyone, but I really wanted to kill Ennis today. Like, my mind supplied me with a dozen different scenarios. And I could have put an invisibility spell on him while I did it so Ben and Sasha and them didn’t even need to be traumatized. Like… that’s how thoroughly I figured it out, all in the few minutes before you and Lillian got there.”

“But you didn’t,” Derek said. “You did the right thing and waited.”

Stiles nodded slowly, before grinning slightly, "I didn't miss that Laura called me your mate, by the way. We're definitely going to talk about that at some point."

Derek blushed and pursed his lips, but nodded before leaning over and kissing Stiles, "I love you."

"Love you too," Stiles murmured. 

About an hour later, Laura texted, _“Ennis’ whole pack was bunkered down out of town. They’re here now. You can bring Ben back.”_ They rose from the couch as Laura texted one last time, _“Ennis will be killed and his Alpha power transferred to one of his betas.”_

Derek went to the trampoline and pulled Ben out while Stiles texted back, _“Good_.”

Lillian’s house was much more crowded when they walked in the second time. 

Ennis’ pack was clustered close together on the couches in the living room, while most of the other packs looked at them. The eldest amongst them was one of the betas who had come into the ice cream shop with Ennis, and he couldn’t have been older than his late twenties. There were nine other betas, and the youngest couldn’t have been more than fifteen.

Lillian waited until everyone quieted down and then she gestured. “Ennis brought his entire pack with him. After speaking with them, we can tell that many of them have been bitten without proper consent. He has also manipulated and lied to several of his members. They have chosen one of their own to inherit Ennis’ Alpha power upon his death. Does anyone oppose this?”

Ben raised his hand hesitantly, and Lillian raised her eyebrows in surprise as she nodded at him. “I have a question,” he started softly. Laura smiled at him and nodded. “Do they all need to stay?” Some of the Alphas exchanged confused looks. “Maggie, you don’t have to stay there,” he said, looking at the youngest member of Ennis’ pack. “You could join our pack, or maybe Lillian’s.” 

The girl’s eyes widened dramatically as everyone turned to look at her, and the beta who was sitting closest to her shifted uncomfortably before speaking up, “Maggie was in foster care,” the young woman explained. “Ennis chose her because she didn’t have any family…”

“We tried to help take care of her,” one of the older male betas said, “but… none of us have much money to begin with.”

“A lot of us are just barely holding things together as we are,” the beta who had been with Ennis in the shop explained. “I’m Josh, by the way,” he said with a small wave, “the pack chose me to be the next Alpha.”

“Of course, anyone who wants to join a different pack has that option,” Lillian said softly. 

“And you’ll get a mentor,” George said to Josh, “There are many things an Alpha needs to know in order to run a successful pack.”

“And we can pool some funds to make sure that you all have adequate living situations,” Lillian offered. “And help with school or college or whatever it is you need, until you’re all on your feet.”

“You all would do that?” The young woman sitting next to Maggie asked. “Ennis always told us that all of the other packs were our enemies.”

Lillian sighed, “I know this isn’t the best first impression, but packs usually have allies, and often cooperate with their neighboring packs, even if they aren’t specifically allied with each other.” Lillian gestured around the room. “We see it as our responsibility to look out for each other and to help each other.” She glanced at Laura, “Yes, sometimes we also compete with each other, but there’s very rarely true animosity between the packs.”

“Ennis lied,” Ben said, “about just about everything, I think.”

“You really have a new pack?” Josh asked Ben. “Ennis said you were dead… and then when he learned you were alive, he said you had become an Omega.”

Ben smiled, “I really have a new pack.”

“That’s awesome, dude,” Josh said.

“Thanks.”

There was quiet for a moment or two while Ben and his old pack just looked at each other, before George stepped forward and clapped his hands. 

“Well, let’s get this over with.”

“How is it done, exactly?” Stiles inquired. 

“Upon his death, the Alpha power will be transferred to a beta or an omega,” Lillian explained. “The Alpha can guide where the power goes, which is how we keep the power inside our families or packs, but that is hard, and if an Alpha dies suddenly or if they’re too injured to control it, then the power can shift to whoever the nearest person is.”

“That’s why the power can sometimes go to whoever kills an Alpha,” George explained.

“But we can also affect where the power goes,” Lillian said. “By forming a circle of Alphas around Ennis and Josh, and by keeping all of the other betas back, the power will have nowhere to go except Josh.”

Stiles nodded. “I can put a barrier around the group to help ensure the transfer,” he offered. 

“Thank you,” Lillian said, “and would you… bring Ennis in here?”

“Of course.” He flicked his wrist toward the kitchen and Ennis floated into the room as all of the people in the room started moving toward the outer walls. “Where would you like him?” Lillian pointed to a spot in the center of the room where Meredith was placing a large tarp. Stiles wrinkled his face but nodded and deposited Ennis, who growled when his knees hit the floor. 

“I’m surprised he’s… being so docile,” George commented, eyeing Ennis strangely. 

“He can’t move,” Stiles replied dryly.

George looked sharply at Stiles, “You’re still controlling him?”

Stiles shrugged, “He can talk, and growl, obviously, but he can’t move at all.”

“Even when you were across the street?”

Stiles nodded slowly. 

“How do you have that much power?” George asked. “And why should any of us trust you if you can incapacitate an Alpha this easily?”

Stiles laughed, “Easily? Dude I am draining my Spark right now to maintain this.” Stiles gestured at Laura, “Also, Laura and Derek trained me to be able to protect myself. They trained me together, as in, I can defend myself against multiple werewolves at the same time. Ennis jumped at me alone in the most choreographic attack ever.” Stiles looked at Josh, “If Ennis had trained you to attack as one, you would have posed a much stronger threat. Also… I’m sorry I knocked you out.”

Josh shrugged. “It’s alright.”

George was still studying Stiles so he turned back to the Alpha, “Yes?”

“How do we know that you won’t target any of the rest of us? Or the Alphas in Northern California? What if you want to expand your pack? It seems that none of us would stand a chance against you.”

“George, you’re being paranoid,” Lillian scolded. “Stiles has been living in my territory for weeks now and he hasn’t been anything other than polite, respectful, and helpful.”

“Also our territory is already very large,” Laura pointed out. “The packs are a lot more spaced out up by where we are, and there hasn’t been a territory dispute since my grandparents’ time.”

“I would never hurt anyone who wasn’t a direct threat to my pack,” Stiles said. “Scout’s honor.” 

“George, you and I can talk about this later, if you’d like,” Laura said consolingly, “For now, let’s get on with Ennis.”

The Alphas nodded and stepped into a circle around Ennis and Josh, with George being the last one to complete the circle. Stiles walked around them, dropping mountain ash in a circle around them. When that was complete, he added an additional ward that he hoped would contain the Alpha power. 

Stiles watched as Laura stepped up behind Ennis and his eyes widened as she grew the claws on her hands out. She looked up at him and said, “Now, Stiles.”

He nodded and reached through his various layers of wards to drop the ones binding Ennis’ body. He immediately tried to surge forward, but the two Alphas on either side of him grabbed him by the shoulders and slammed him back down. Laura grabbed him by the front of the throat and held him in place while the claws of her other hand dug into the base of his spinal cord. Stiles winced as blood flowed down Laura’s hand, and then he had to prevent himself from gagging when she twisted her hand and audibly severed the spinal cord. The body tensed and then collapsed to the ground, while Josh jerked and growled, his eyes glowing red suddenly. 

“It’s done, Stiles,” Laura said tiredly as Lillian handed her a towel. 

Stiles nodded and took down his wards while he reached his hand out to scoop up the mountain ash. He watched until all of it was gathered in his hand before dumping it into his small pouch.

The Alphas all went back to their packs and some of them began leaving. 

“That’s it?” Ben asked. “It’s done?”

Lillian nodded. “We’ll take care of his body… unless you want to?” She asked Josh. 

He shook his head, staring at his pack with wide eyes. “I can feel you all,” he whispered. They all rose from the couch and came over to touch him. He closed his eyes and just breathed as they took comfort in each other. 

Stiles turned to Derek and Ben, who had stayed well back from everything that happened. Derek held out his arms as Stiles approached and Ben wrapped his arms around Stiles the second after Derek did. 

“How’s your Spark?” Derek asked softly. 

“Wobbly,” Stiles replied with a small smile. 

A few seconds later Laura wrapped her arms around the group. “I’m so glad we don’t have to do anything tomorrow,” she murmured.

“Speak for yourself,” Stiles said with a short laugh. “I have to talk to Araceli tomorrow and explain all of this to her.”


	11. Homecoming

Araceli only yelled at Stiles for half an hour, which was very nearly a record, as far as he was concerned. 

“How do you keep finding yourself in these situations?” She finally asked. 

Stiles shrugged and tried to look contrite. It wasn’t an expression he often aimed for, but it seemed like a good idea now. “I don’t try to, Abuelita. Pero muchas gracias porque I was able to protect everyone. I don’t know what I would have done all this time if it weren’t for you.”

“Hmmm,” she agreed, looking off into the distance. After a moment she looked back at the screen. “My Angelica says that your banshee friend is doing quite well.”

Stiles nodded, “Lydia is basically a genius, so I’m not surprised. I’m glad that Angelica and Josue were able to go help her out.”

“And Josue says that she is quite pretty.”

“She is, Abuelita,” Stiles laughed. 

“Banshees don’t do well in cities long term.”

“The Alpha who found her, Vernon, said the same thing. Is Angelica doing alright so far?”

Araceli nodded. “She hasn’t complained, but I worry about her. She has excellent control for someone her age, but it will start straining her. I suggest that she and Lydia leave the city as much as they can.”

“I know they’re both planning to go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Stiles said, “but do you think I should look into getting them a weekend place outside of the city?”

“That might be a good idea.”

Stiles nodded, and pulled out his phone to start searching. 

“And how are your ribs doing? Have you been trying that special healing?”

Stiles grinned as he looked up, “Yea, gracias de nuevo. I had to text Miguel for a couple clarifications, but I’m pretty sure that it’s working really well. It’s barely hurt at all in the last few days.”

“Eso es bueno escuchar,” Araceli said with a sigh. “You know this is very hard and very strange for me, to teach you like this, through this computer. I am glad that you pick up on things so well. I’ve had some students who need to be taught things a hundred times before they can do them, but you, you just need me to explain one or two times.”

“Well, I do text Miguel a lot of questions,” Stiles protested with a laugh. 

“Si, pero he said you ask smart questions,” she said with a laugh of her own. “Just like that Lydia. She asks smart questions too.”

“Good morning, Araceli,” Laura said with a grin as she came into the kitchen. 

“Good morning, Alpha,” Araceli responded. “I hear that our Stiles is making it a point to impress every Alpha on the coast.”

Laura chuckled, “He did put on a bit of a show, but I know that Lillian trusts him.”

Aracelli sucked her teeth for a moment before saying, “I might recommend that you do what you can to control the narrative. If the wrong stories hit the wrong ears… trouble could find Stiles or your whole pack.”

“Thank you, Araceli,” Laura said seriously. “I can work on that.”

Araceli waved at the screen. “You will do a good job. You are a good Alpha, like your mother was. Stiles, keep doing that healing twice a day, and try not to get into any life-threatening situations before next week.”

Stiles laughed, “I’ll try Abuelita, I’ll try.”

Araceli hung up the call and Stiles turned to face Laura, “Control the narrative?”

She waved at him, “Come back to bed to cuddle. Isaac just called and said he’s picking up Cinnabuns and egg sandwiches and he’ll be here in ten minutes.”

“We should get a king-sized bed,” Stiles said with a laugh as he followed Laura back to the bedroom. 

Ben laughed from his position sitting up against the headboard as he flipped through the different options on Netflix. He nudged Derek in the head gently with his knee, “What about Shrek?”

“Perfect!” Laura laughed as she jumped into bed. 

*

“Are you sure it won’t be too overwhelming?” Ben asked as he peered out his window when Stiles turned off the main road and onto the heavily wooded path into the Preserve. 

Derek reached into the back and squeezed Ben’s knee. “You’re going to love it here, I promise.”

“And everyone is going to love you,” Stiles added. “Plus, you already know Laura, Isaac, Allison, and Cynthia. That’s half of the people that will be here tonight.”

Ben swallowed but nodded. A few minutes later, Stiles parked the car and climbed out. Derek opened Ben’s door and held his hand out. After a moment’s hesitation, he put his hand in Derek’s and jumped out of the car. 

“Welcome to our home,” Derek said with a wide grin as the pack slowly came out of the front door. Isaac stepped forward and picked Ben up once he was close enough, twirling him around. 

“Ben, come meet everyone, and then I’m going to show you where we play tag,” Isaac said with a wide grin, taking Ben’s hand to pull him toward the rest of the pack, who were patiently hanging back. 

Ben grinned as he threw a glance over his shoulder Stiles and Derek, who were following behind them with arms entwined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My next installment in this series is going to focus a lot more heavily on Lydia, Danny, and Jackson :D
> 
> Also, I'm very much debating with myself because part of me wants Stiles to absolutely destroy Kate, but another part of me doesn't want Derek to ever have to look at her again because she's the absolute worst and I don't want to torture my babies any more than necessary...


End file.
